Reliability Between Sarcopenia Diagnosis by EWGSOP 1 and EWGSOP 2 Criteria and Association With Clinical Parameters in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Objectives

To analyze the reliability between the sarcopenia criteria proposed by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) 1 and 2 and to verify the association of clinical parameters with sarcopenia diagnosis in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis including adult patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The assessment of lean mass was performed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the appendicular lean mass index was calculated. The assessment of muscle strength was performed using a handgrip dynamometer. The cutoff values considered for sarcopenia diagnosis were proposed by the EWGSOP 1 and EWGSOP 2 criteria.

Results

124 patients were included. The frequency of sarcopenia diagnosis was higher according to EWGSOP 1 (25.8%) than according to EWGSOP 2 (12.9%). The frequency of sarcopenia diagnoses diminished in both sexes. The reliability between the two criteria was moderate (κ = 0.597; P < .001), and 87.1% of patients were classified equally by both criteria. In EWGSOP 1, the presence of diabetes and serum iron was significantly higher in the group with sarcopenia, and in EWGSOP 2 there was no such difference.

Conclusion

The frequency of sarcopenia diagnosis in patients on hemodialysis was higher by EWGSOP 1 compared to EWGSOP 2, and the reliability between the criteria was moderate. Sarcopenia diagnosed by EWGSOP 1 was associated with diabetes and serum iron, which are factors that may be associated with sarcopenia pathogenesis. EWGSOP 2 was not associated with the clinical parameters assessed.