Development validation of a ultra-brief screening tool for sarcopenia in Chinese community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to develop and validate a brief sarcopenia screening tool to improve case finding in community settings. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling older adults in western China. METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed and Embase databases to establish an initial item pool. The items were further selected and refined using the Delphi method and based on Classical Test Theory (CTT), resulting in the formal version of the sarcopenia screening instrument. Development and validation samples were recruited from three community settings in China. community-dwelling older adults in Chengdu and Hangzhou, China, were enrolled between May 2021 and December 2022. The gold standard for sarcopenia diagnosis was based on AWGS 2019 and EWGSOP 2018 criteria. RESULTS: A consensus was reached on the final 6-item ultra-brief screening tool with a unidimensional structure. Cut-off scores of ≥10, ≥15, ≥20 were evaluated to find the optimal sensitivity and specificity. This new ultra-brief screening tool has good psychometric properties, and high sensitivity compared with the AWGS sarcopenia criteria and EWGSOP criteria. At the cut-off value of ≥10, this ultra-brief screening tool had the best sensitivity of 86.9% compared with AWGS sarcopenia criteria, and best sensitivity of 97.3% compared with EWGSOP criteria. Overall, the AUC of the screening instrument ranged from 0.798 to 0.822 based on Asian standards, compared to 0.840 to 0.922 based on European standards. CONSLUCIONS: This instrument has good psychometric properties, high sensitivity; therefore, it may be considered a suitable instrument for sarcopenia screening in community settings.