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J. Thomas1, L. Martin1, G. Muir1
1NHS Fife, Dunfermline, United Kingdom
Background: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalised skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls and fractures. As sarcopenia is a disorder that can be improved by physical interventions, it is important that physiotherapists working with older adults consider assessment for sarcopenia. The aim of this project was to identify the number of people with sarcopenia, as a baseline review, who presented to the older peoples physiotherapy services within Fifes Health and Social care partnership (HSCP).
Purpose: The objectives of this project were to ascertain:
• If people attending physiotherapy for older adults in Fife would be defined as needing further assessment for sarcopenia based on their grip strength
• If there was any difference in grip strength for patients in different clinical locations in Fife.
• If the patients grip strength was associated with the physiotherapists subjective assessment of level of frailty
This would allow an understanding of the number of people presenting to physiotherapy who would benefit from an intervention to address their sarcopenia and therefore the most effective way to intervene given the numbers identified.
• If people attending physiotherapy for older adults in Fife would be defined as needing further assessment for sarcopenia based on their grip strength
• If there was any difference in grip strength for patients in different clinical locations in Fife.
• If the patients grip strength was associated with the physiotherapists subjective assessment of level of frailty
This would allow an understanding of the number of people presenting to physiotherapy who would benefit from an intervention to address their sarcopenia and therefore the most effective way to intervene given the numbers identified.
Methods: During September 2019 all patients were assessed for their grip strength during their physiotherapy assessment. Possible sarcopenia was defined using the cut points of 16kg for women and 27kg for men from the European consensus paper. To minimise variability a set protocol was used for all grip strength measurements.
Results: 173 patients were included in the audit. Over three quarters of patients assessed met the criteria for further investigation of sarcopenia based on their grip strength.
The pattern of meeting the criteria related cut points based on grip strength was as expected; in that community mobile day patients were least likely to have a grip strength below the cut point, then people who were housebound and most likely were inpatients.
The pattern of meeting the criteria related cut points based on grip strength was as expected; in that community mobile day patients were least likely to have a grip strength below the cut point, then people who were housebound and most likely were inpatients.
Conclusion(s): Grip strength is a feasible way of screening to indicate further assessment for sarcopenia. If probable sarcopenia is found, then the recommended interventions include exercise and nutritional advice. It is suggested that a Fife wide intervention pathway is developed following best available evidence.
Implications: Grip strength should be incorporated as a routine measurement during physiotherapy assessment.
This will enable the identification of possible sarcopenia and prompt further assessment.
A pathway for intervention should be developed based on the best available evidence for resistance training and nutritional support.
This will enable the identification of possible sarcopenia and prompt further assessment.
A pathway for intervention should be developed based on the best available evidence for resistance training and nutritional support.
Funding, acknowledgements: None
Keywords: Sarcopenia, Grip strength, Frailty
Topic: Older people
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: NA
Committee: NA
Reason: It was a local audit using routinely collected information.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
