ABSTRACT
To evaluate several tests of physical performance for sarcopenia screening and assessment, by investigating physical performance and function in older women. 106 community-dwelling older women from a community in Shanghai were enrolled in this study. Physical function assessed by short physical performance battery (SPPB), timed get-up-and-go (TUG), handgrip strength, and usual gait speed were asked to perform. Total lean mass was determined by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, the relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass ( RASM) was defined as appendicular skeletal muscle mass/height2 . 13 individuals were diagnosed as sarcopenia according to a consensus diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, as developed by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia ( AWGS) in 2014. Body mass index and handgrip strength in the sarcopenia group were significantly lower than those in the non-sarcopenia group (P=0. 026, P=0. 004 respectively), and there was no significant differences in the age, SPPB score, TUG, and usual gait speed. Linear regression analysis showed RASM was significantly positively correlated with body mass index (r=0. 842, P<0. 01), time to rise from a chair and return to the seated position five times (r=0. 203, P=0. 036),TUG(r=0. 258, P=0. 008)and grip strength (r=0. 217, P=0. 025), meanwhile, both body mass index and grip strength entered Logistic regression analysis. Low weight and low handgrip strength are independent predictive factors of sarcopenia in older women. Sarcopenia screening for older women with low body-weight and weak handgrip strength is more urgently required