Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy of  SARC-F, SARC-CalF and Ishii’s Test  for Diagnosis of Sarcopenia in Hospitalized Older Patients

Abstract Objectives Sarcopenia, a common geriatric syndrome observed in older individuals, is known to be associated with negative health consequences. Several screening tools have been developed to identify sarcopenia in this population. This study aims to assess the diagnostic efficacy of three screening methods, SARC-F, SARC-F combined with calf circumference (SARC-CalF), and Ishii's test, for detecting sarcopenia in older individuals who are hospitalized. Design: This diagnostic accuracy study Setting: 204 hospitalized older people. Measurements: Sarcopenia was assessed based on the diagnostic criteria established by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2. Muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance were evaluated using bioimpedance analysis, handgrip strength, and usual gait speed, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity analyses were conducted for the SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and Ishii's test to determine their effectiveness. Receiver operating characteristics curves were generated, and the area under the curve was calculated to compare the overall diagnostic accuracy of the SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and Ishii's test. Results The prevalence of sarcopenia is 41.4%. The SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and Ishii's tests demostrated sensitivities of 72%, 88.6%, and 93.5%, respectively, and specificities of 41%, 78.5%, and 30.3%. Conclusion SARC-CalF demonstrates the highest performance in terms of sensitivity and specificity compared to the other two tests, making it a valuable tool for detecting sarcopenia in hospital settings. On the other hand, Ishii's test exhibits high sensitivity but low specificity within this particular population