Determination of Skeletal Muscle Mass Index Values in the Turkish Population Using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

Sarcopenia is defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) as "a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, carrying a risk of adverse outcomes such as physical disability, fractures, falls, impaired quality of life, and death." However, despite the severity of the disease, a single diagnostic criterion has not yet been established, and various guidelines have been proposed to standardize the diagnostic criteria and cut-off values. Current European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) recommendations focus on European populations and, where possible, the use of normative references from healthy young adults. Since measurements such as gait and muscle strength are height-dependent, the use of regional normative populations is recommended whenever possible. Currently, some cut-off points for the diagnosis of sarcopenia are arbitrary. The development of validated cut-off points will depend on normative data and their predictive value for endpoints. Further studies are needed to determine whether gender-specific and region-specific threshold values for the diagnosis of sarcopenia improve the prediction of sarcopenia outcomes.

There are no studies in the literature on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry cutoff values specific to the Turkish population. In our study, we aimed to define reference cutoff values for muscle mass, muscle strength, and calf circumference in Türkiye in order to improve the general applicability of EWGSOP criteria.