ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of single modal and multimodal exercise interventions on sarcopenia in the elderly. Methods:Randomized controlled trials about the effects of single modal and multimodal exercises on the improvement of sarcopenia in the elderly were retrieved from seven databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang data) from the establishment of the databases to July, 2021. Two researchers selected the literatures independently, and evaluated the quality of methodology. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3. Results:A total of 15 studies were incorporated, including 816 cases of sarcopenia. Compared to the blank control group, the skeletal muscle mass index improved little with single (MD = -0.05, 95%CI -0.14 to 0.04, P > 0.05) and multiple (MD = 0.15, 95%CI -0.01 to 0.31, P > 0.05) exercises. The maximum grip force improved with both single (MD = 2.06, 95%CI 0.25 to 3.87, P < 0.05) and multiple (MD = 2.36, 95%CI 1.10 to 3.63, P < 0.001) exercises. The knee extensors strength (SMD = 0.49, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.73, P < 0.001) and the walking speed (MD = 0.24, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.29, P < 0.001) improved with multimodal exercises. Conclusion:Single modal exercise may improve maximal grip strength in the elderly with sarcopenia, and multimodal exercise may be effective on maximal grip strength, knee extensors strength and walking speed.