The relationship between comorbidity and the functional muscle status in sarcopenic patients

BACKGROUND. Managing older individuals becomes challenging due to the coexistence of multiple chronic diseases, ultimately diminishing both their quality and duration of life. Different comorbidity scales are used to assess the severity of comorbidity. However, the severity of comorbidity in sarcopenic has not been well studied. AIM. To analyze the prevalence and configuration of chronic conditions in individuals with sarcopenia and measure the severity of comorbidities utilizing different scales. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The research comprised 230 subjects who were 65 years old and above (with a median age of 75 [68; 79] years), who underwent evaluation at a medical institution in St. Petersburg. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the criteria set by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia 2 revision (EWGSOP2, 2018). Comorbidity was assessed with the CIRS-G scale (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics) and the Charlson comorbidity index. RESULTS. The number of comorbidities did not vary significantly between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients, irrespective of gender (p > 0.05). There was a negative correlation between muscle strength and CKD (ρ = –0.323, p = 0.031), anemia (ρ = –0.249, p = 0.045), and a positive relationship with obesity (ρ = 0.175, p = 0.032). The risk of sarcopenia increased in people with severe comorbidity according to the Charlson index (OR = 5.178; 95% CI 1.597–14.128; p = 0.0030). Severe comorbidity according to the Carlson index was associated with low muscle mass (b = –0.129; 95% CI –0.142; –0.116, p < 0.0001), low muscle strength (b = –0.388; 95% CI –0.757; –0.019, p = 0.039) and low physical performance (b = –0.343; 95% CI –0.565; –0.122, p = 0.0025). CONCLUSION. The study showed that comorbid pathology plays a crucial role in diminishing muscle mass and function, and in the progression of sarcopenia among individuals aged 65 and older.