Limited physician knowledge of sarcopenia: A survey

作者：Jack M. Guralnik, Peggy M. Cawthon, Shalender Bhasin, Roger A. Fielding, Jay Magaziner, Alfonso J. Cruz‐Jentoft, Bruno Vellas, Lindsay Clarke, Laura Lattimer, William J. Evans · 发表于：Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1111/jgs.18227 · 被引用次数：64 · 研究领域：Nutrition and Health in Aging、Frailty in Older Adults、Body Composition Measurement Techniques

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia, a reduction in skeletal muscle mass and function, is a condition that contributes to functional decline and disability in older adults. Although research on this geriatric condition has developed rapidly in recent years, little work has been done to document whether practicing physicians are incorporating sarcopenia into their clinical practice. METHODS: An online survey of 253 practicing U.S. physicians assessed knowledge of sarcopenia, use of the term in practice, motivation for screening patients, and diagnostic and treatment approaches. They were board certified in four practice areas: internal medicine (n = 69), family medicine (n = 69), geriatrics (n = 40), or physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) (n = 75). RESULTS: Less than 20% of internists and family medicine physicians reported being very familiar with the term sarcopenia, with substantially higher familiarity at this level reported among geriatricians (70%) and among PM&R specialists (41%). Two additional findings pointed to deficiencies in sarcopenia knowledge and practice: participants substantially overestimated the prevalence of sarcopenia in older adults (44% of participants reported an expected prevalence of >25%) compared to findings from published studies (indicating 10% of older adults experience sarcopenia); over 75% reported not typically using specific diagnostic criteria or being unsure if their approach utilized any specific criteria. When asked what terminology they use...