{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T06:03:13Z","timestamp":1790229793142,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790208000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Aging"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background and aims<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Muscle wasting is a common complication in critically ill older adults admitted to intensive care units (ICU), with significant implications for morbidity and mortality. Ultrasound represents a promising bedside tool for assessing muscle mass changes. This study aimed to evaluate changes in quadriceps femoris muscle mass using ultrasonography at ICU admission and after 7\u00a0days of stay in patients aged 60\u00a0years and older.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A prospective cohort study with repeated measurements was conducted between December 2024 and May 2025. Patients aged \u226560\u00a0years admitted to the ICU were included. Ultrasonographic measurements included rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RFCSA), bilateral quadriceps muscle thickness, and rectus femoris pennation angle at admission and day 7. Clinical characteristics, severity scores (APACHE II, SOFA), and functional status (Barthel index) were recorded. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon signed-rank test and robust statistics.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Fifty patients were analyzed (60% male, median age 72.5\u00a0years).\n                      <jats:italic>Significant<\/jats:italic>\n                      muscle mass reductions were observed: RFCSA decreased by 16.2% (2.525\u20132.115\u00a0cm\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      , p &amp;lt; 0.001), right quadriceps thickness by 14.6% (2.012\u20131.719\u00a0cm, p &amp;lt; 0.001), left quadriceps thickness by 20.2% (2.049\u20131.635\u00a0cm, p &amp;lt; 0.001), and pennation angle by 18.2% (7.664\u00b0\u20136.270\u00b0, p &amp;lt; 0.001). ICU mortality was 30%. Multivariate analysis identified advanced age, female sex, hypoglycemic agent use, higher SOFA scores, and lower premorbid Barthel index as factors associated with greater muscle loss.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Critically ill older adults experience significant quadriceps muscle mass loss within the first week of ICU stay, as measured by bedside ultrasonography. These findings support the implementation of early muscle assessment and targeted interventions in this vulnerable population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fragi.2026.1792585","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T05:44:25Z","timestamp":1790228665000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ultrasonographic evaluation of quadriceps femoris muscle mass in critically ill patients aged 60 years and older: a prospective observational study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"Nestor-Julian","family":"Zarate-Herran","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"4th Year Resident in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine Section, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Caldas","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]},{"name":"Research Group on Geriatrics and Gerontology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad def Caldas","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Johan-Sebasti\u00e1n","family":"Villada-G\u00f3mez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Geriatrics and Gerontology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad def Caldas","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nestor-David","family":"Caicedo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Intensive Care Unit Hospital Departamental Santa Sof\u00eda","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]},{"name":"University of Manizales","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diana-Mar\u00eda","family":"Trejos-Gallego","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Intensive Care Unit Hospital Departamental Santa Sof\u00eda","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]},{"name":"University of Manizales","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fernando","family":"Gomez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Geriatrics and Gerontology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad def Caldas","place":["Manizales, Colombia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1186\/s13089-023-00348-z","article-title":"Assessment of quadriceps muscle mass by ultrasound in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery","volume":"16","author":"Buitrago","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ultrasound J."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"605","DOI":"10.1016\/S0749-0704(03)00051-4","article-title":"The epidemiology of critical illness in the elderly","volume":"19","author":"Carson","year":"2003","journal-title":"Crit. 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