Diagnostic performance of arm circumference compared to other indicators for detecting sarcopenia in older adults

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of arm circumference (AC) compared with other anthropometric and functional indicators as a predictor of sarcopenia risk in communitydwelling older adults.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, analytical, population-based study derived from a household survey involving individuals aged 60 years or older.Measurements of AC, calf circumference (CC), and variables related to muscle strength, muscle mass, and functional performance were collected, including the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Sit-to-Stand (STS) test, and gait speed (GS).Results: The sample comprised 708 older adults, predominantly women (64.7%), aged between 60 and 94 years.The prevalence of sarcopenia was 14.7%, with 4.9% classified as severe.AC showed a negative association with sarcopenia ( = -0.01;p < 0.01; 95% CI: 0.75-0.92)and reduced the odds of sarcopenia by 17% for each additional centimeter (OR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.75-0.92).The comparison of the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) indicated similar performance between AC and CC (z = 0.24; p = 0.81).The diagnostic accuracy of AC was slightly higher than that of CC in men (27.1% vs. 26.6%)and women (43.0% vs. 37.6%).Conclusions: Both AC and CC demonstrated high discriminative capacity for sarcopenia, with cutoff points that balanced sensitivity and specificity.AC stands out as a viable, simple, and effective alternative for sarcopenia screening in community-dwelling older adults.