title: Sarcopenia Defined by Combining Height- and Weight-Adjusted Skeletal Muscle Indices is Closely Associated With Poor Physical Performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare muscle strength and physical performance among subjects with and without sarcopenia of different definitions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  857 community residents aged 65 years or older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sarcopenia was defined according to the European Working Group of Sarcopenia in Older People consensus criteria. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured lean soft tissue mass. Sarcopenic participants with low height-adjusted or weight-adjusted skeletal muscle index (SMI) were classified as having h-sarcopenia or w-sarcopenia, respectively. Combined sarcopenia (c-sarcopenia) was defined as having either h- or w-sarcopenia. The participants underwent six physical performance tests: walking speed, timed up-and-go, six-minute walk, single-leg stance, timed chair stands, and flexibility test. The strength of five muscle groups was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with h-sarcopenia had lower weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, and absolute muscle strength (p ≤ .001); those with w-sarcopenia had higher weight, BMI, fat mass (p < .001), and low relative muscle strength (p ≤ .003). Participants with c-sarcopenia had poorer performance in all physical performance tests, whereas h-sarcopenia and w-sarcopenia were associated with poor performance in four tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects with h- and w-sarcopenia differ significantly in terms of obesity indicators. Combining height- and weight-adjusted SMIs can be a feasible method to define sarcopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nai-Hsin
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Chia-Ing
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chiu-Shong
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen-Yuan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chih-Hsueh
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chin-Kai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Tsai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology