title: Rationale for a preliminary operational definition of physical frailty and sarcopenia in the SPRINTT trial.
abstract: In the present article, the rationale that guided the operationalization of the theoretical concept of physical frailty and sarcopenia (PF&S), the condition of interest for the "Sarcopenia and Physical Frailty in Older People: Multicomponent Treatment Strategies" (SPRINTT) trial, is presented. In particular, the decisions lead to the choice of the adopted instruments, and the reasons for setting the relevant thresholds are explained. In SPRINTT, the concept of physical frailty is translated with a Short Physical Performance Battery score of ≥3 and ≤9. Concurrently, sarcopenia is defined according to the recent definitions of low muscle mass proposed by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health-Sarcopenia Project. Given the preventive purpose of SPRINTT, older persons with mobility disability (operationalized as incapacity to complete a 400-m walk test within 15 min; primary outcome of the trial) at the baseline are not included within the diagnostic spectrum of PF&S.
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse III, Paul Sabatier, 37 Allées Jules Guesde, 31000, Toulouse, France. macesari@gmail.com.|Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. macesari@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calvani
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics and Geriatric Emergency Care, IRCCS-INRCA, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Medicine of Aging, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.|Division of Geriatric Cardiology and Medicine, Department of Geriatrics and Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Bari
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, Sacramento VA Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.|Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kortebein
authors.affiliation: Bluecompanion LTD, London, UK.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Signore
authors.affiliation: Sanofi R&D, Chilly-Mazarin, France.
authors.forename: Regis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Lain
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse III, Paul Sabatier, 37 Allées Jules Guesde, 31000, Toulouse, France.|Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vellas
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pahor
authors.affiliation: Global Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ronenn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roubenoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernabei
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marzetti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000145:classification*; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Aging; Disability; Physical function; Prevention; Skeletal muscle