{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T09:27:22Z","timestamp":1787218042778,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100013963","name":"University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100013963","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, has recently emerged as a significant health concern. It is common in older adults and linked to poor outcomes. It is dynamic and can improve or deteriorate over short periods of time. We aimed to determine its prevalence and changes during hospital admission and explore associations with clinical outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This was a Prospective, Observational Cohort, Feasibility Study. Older Adults (&amp;gt;65 years old) with an unplanned admission to an AMU in a secondary care hospital were eligible to participate in the study. Muscle mass was measured using an ultrasound, handgrip strength using a hand-held dynamometer and 4 meters gait speed on admission, at day 3 and day 7. Outcomes were assessed up to 3 months, and we recorded mortality at 6 months.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 106 patients were recruited from 232 screened. Only 18 participants completed 3-month follow up although 6-month mortality was recorded for all participants. Mean (SD) age at admission was 76.8 years (7.0); 56% were female and 97.2% White. Sarcopenia prevalence was 60.4% on admission. Patients with Sarcopenia were nearly 6 times (OR 5.94, 95% CI 1.66\u201328.6) more likely to die within 6 months, including when adjusted for nutritional status and hemoglobin. Low muscle mass, strength, and gait speed, as individual factors on admission, were also associated with 6-month mortality (Correlation co-efficient\n                      <jats:italic>R<\/jats:italic>\n                      = \u22120.67,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>R<\/jats:italic>\n                      = \u22120.76,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001 and\n                      <jats:italic>R<\/jats:italic>\n                      = \u22120.54,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001, respectively). Longitudinal data were limited due to study withdrawal and exploratory sarcopenia trajectories varied across individuals who remained in the study.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Sarcopenia is highly prevalent among older adults acutely admitted to hospital; and although worse health outcomes, including mortality, were observed in those with sarcopenia, these findings are exploratory. Delivering longitudinal research in this population remains challenging, particularly due to high withdrawal rates in less robust adults.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1862604","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T09:10:32Z","timestamp":1787217032000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Sarcopenia in older adults admitted to acute medical unit: a prospective observational study of feasibility and clinical outcomes"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Vicky","family":"Kamwa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Birmingham Acute Care Research Group, Department of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zaki","family":"Hassan-Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aston Medical School, Aston University","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Jackson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Sapey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]},{"name":"The Health Data Research UK Hub in Acute Care (PIONEER)","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afy169","article-title":"Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis.","volume":"48","author":"Cruz-Jentoft","year":"2019","journal-title":"Age Ageing"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afs197","article-title":"Prevalence of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people in the UK using the European working group on sarcopenia in older people (EWGSOP) definition: findings from the hertfordshire cohort study (HCS).","volume":"42","author":"Patel","year":"2013","journal-title":"Age Ageing"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1093\/advances\/nmy058","article-title":"Prevalence and diagnosis of sarcopenia in residential facilities: a systematic review.","volume":"10","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Rej\u00f3n","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv Nutr"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12783","article-title":"Global prevalence of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"13","author":"Petermann-Rocha","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.23736\/S2724-6507.20.03198-3","article-title":"The endocrinology of sarcopenia and frailty.","volume":"46","author":"Kamwa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Minerva Endocrinol"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100980","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arr.2019.100980","article-title":"Inflammaging as a common ground for the development and maintenance of sarcopenia, obesity, cardiomyopathy and dysbiosis.","volume":"56","author":"Livshits","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ageing Res Rev"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1045","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2017.01045","article-title":"The role of inflammation in age-related sarcopenia.","volume":"8","author":"Dalle","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front Physiol"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":".e9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjmed.2005.10.049","article-title":"Inflammatory markers and loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) and strength.","volume":"119","author":"Schaap","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am J Med."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.13190","article-title":"Sarcopenia is associated with a greater risk of polypharmacy and number of medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"14","author":"Prokopidis","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"390","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-023-04012-y","article-title":"Polypharmacy with potentially inappropriate medications as a risk factor of new onset sarcopenia among community-dwelling Japanese older adults: a 9-year Kashiwa cohort study.","volume":"23","author":"Tanaka","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1007\/s13539-014-0161-y","article-title":"Prevalence, incidence, and clinical impact of sarcopenia: facts, numbers, and epidemiology-update 2014.","volume":"5","author":"Morley","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1498","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnu.2017.08.027","article-title":"The association between delirium and sarcopenia in older adult patients admitted to acute geriatrics units: results from the GLISTEN multicenter observational study.","volume":"37","author":"Bellelli","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clin Nutr"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S43","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eurger.2013.07.142","article-title":"Association between sarcopenia, in-hospital and 1-year mortality in older adults admitted to acute care wards: results from the crime study.","volume":"4","author":"Vetrano","year":"2013","journal-title":"E Geriatr Med."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1027503","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2022.1027503","article-title":"Sarcopenia is associated with mortality in non-critical elderly patients visiting the emergency department.","volume":"9","author":"Liao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Med"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"907","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12224","article-title":"The incidence of sarcopenia among hospitalized older patients: results from the glisten study.","volume":"8","author":"Martone","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"532","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-020-01900-5","article-title":"Exercise and nutrition for healthy ageiNg (ENHANce) project - effects and mechanisms of action of combined anabolic interventions to improve physical functioning in sarcopenic older adults: study protocol of a triple blinded, randomized controlled trial.","volume":"20","author":"Dedeyne","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"866","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2019.04.001","article-title":"Physical exercise improves function in acutely hospitalized older patients: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.","volume":"20","author":"S\u00e1ez de Asteasu","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Am Med Dir Assoc"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.14283\/jfa.2013.7","article-title":"Current nutritional recommendations and novel dietary strategies to manage sarcopenia.","volume":"2","author":"Calvani","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Frailty Aging."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1007\/s41999-020-00438-4","article-title":"The sarcopenia and physical frailty in older people: multi-component treatment strategies (SPRINTT) project: description and feasibility of a nutrition intervention in community-dwelling older Europeans.","volume":"12","author":"Jyv\u00e4korpi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur Geriatr Med"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11369","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-29825-5","article-title":"Skeletal muscle cutoff values for sarcopenia diagnosis using T10 to L5 measurements in a healthy US population.","volume":"8","author":"Derstine","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1247e","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2019.04.005","article-title":"Bilateral anterior thigh thickness: a new diagnostic tool for the identification of low muscle mass?","volume":"20","author":"Wilson","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Am Med Dir Assoc."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1186\/s13102-020-00227-3","article-title":"Effect of position and exercise on measurement of muscle quantity and quality: towards a standardised pragmatic protocol for clinical practice.","volume":"13","author":"Welch","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.52964\/AMJA.0841","article-title":"The evidence for assessing frailty and sarcopenia in an acute medical unit: a systematic review.","volume":"20","author":"Kamwa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Acute Med."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4090","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnu.2021.02.007","article-title":"Association between malnutrition and stages of sarcopenia in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients: RESORT.","volume":"40","author":"Verstraeten","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Nutr"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"701","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnu.2024.01.028","article-title":"Sarcopenia and poor nutritional status in older adults.","volume":"43","author":"Calcaterra","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Nutr"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2044","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12999","article-title":"Decreased haemoglobin levels are associated with lower muscle mass and strength in kidney transplant recipients.","volume":"13","author":"Vinke","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1081843","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1081843","article-title":"Hemoglobin level is negatively associated with sarcopenia and its components in Chinese aged 60 and above.","volume":"11","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1424227","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2024.1424227","article-title":"Association between sarcopenia and hemoglobin level: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"11","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Med"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gerinurse.2017.08.003","article-title":"Calf circumference is associated with dysphagia in acute-care inpatients.","volume":"39","author":"Matsuo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Geriatr Nurs"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0293650","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0293650","article-title":"Exploring fraity and sarcopenia in older adults admitted to acute medical unit, looking at prevalence, trajectory, and outcomes: a protocol testing the feasibility and acceptability of the TYSON study.","volume":"18","author":"Kamwa","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"116","DOI":"10.1016\/s0899-9007(98)00171-3","article-title":"The mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and its use in grading the nutritional state of elderly patients.","volume":"15","author":"Vellas","year":"1999","journal-title":"Nutrition."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4725","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2023.2288672","article-title":"Intensified acute in-hospital physiotherapy for patients after hip fracture surgery: a pragmatic, randomized, controlled feasibility trial.","volume":"46","author":"Zilmer","year":"2024","journal-title":"Disabil Rehabil."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1007\/s41999-021-00565-6","article-title":"The feasibility of conducting acute sarcopenia research in hospitalised older patients: a prospective cohort study.","volume":"13","author":"Welch","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur Geriatr Med"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1186\/s12885-021-07872-y","article-title":"Feasibility of a multimodal exercise, nutrition, and palliative care intervention in advanced lung cancer.","volume":"21","author":"Ester","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Cancer"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12875","article-title":"Twelve-year sarcopenia trajectories in older adults: results from a population-based study.","volume":"13","author":"Trevisan","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1111\/ggi.14366","article-title":"Trajectories of muscle quantity, quality and function measurements in hospitalized older adults.","volume":"22","author":"Welch","year":"2022","journal-title":"Geriatr Gerontol Int"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1537","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14081537","article-title":"Prevalence of undernutrition, frailty and sarcopenia in community-dwelling people aged 50 years and above: systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"14","author":"Almohaisen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12651","article-title":"Sarcopenia: prevalence, associated factors, and the risk of mortality and disability in Japanese older adults.","volume":"12","author":"Kitamura","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1441","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13051441","article-title":"The prevalence of sarcopenia in Chinese older adults: meta-analysis and meta-regression.","volume":"13","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12890","article-title":"Diagnosis, prevalence, and mortality of sarcopenia in dialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"13","author":"Shu","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4077","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14194077","article-title":"Prevalence of sarcopenia and its impact on cardiovascular events and mortality among dialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"14","author":"Wathanavasin","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s00223-021-00898-1","article-title":"Sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease: a scoping review of prevalence, risk factors, association with outcomes, and treatment.","volume":"110","author":"Chatzipetrou","year":"2022","journal-title":"Calcif Tissue Int"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1164","DOI":"10.1002\/jcsm.12600","article-title":"Diagnosis, prevalence, and clinical impact of sarcopenia in COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"11","author":"Sep\u00falveda-Loyola","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle"},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105092","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105092","article-title":"Prevalence of stroke-related sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"29","author":"Su","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis"},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1470","DOI":"10.1210\/clinem\/dgab884","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in patients with diabetes: a meta-analysis.","volume":"107","author":"Feng","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1839","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14091839","article-title":"Prevalence of sarcopenia in women with breast cancer.","volume":"14","author":"Morlino","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1186\/s13054-022-04015-y","article-title":"Prevalence and prognostic value of preexisting sarcopenia in patients with mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"26","author":"Jiang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Crit Care"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1097\/MCO.0000000000000801","article-title":"SARC-F and other screening tests for sarcopenia.","volume":"25","author":"Bahat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care"},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2013.05.018","article-title":"SARC-F: a simple questionnaire to rapidly diagnose sarcopenia.","volume":"14","author":"Malmstrom","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Am Med Dir Assoc"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19010032","article-title":"Sarcopenia identification during comprehensive geriatric assessment.","volume":"19","author":"Pacho\u0142ek","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105982","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2025.105982","article-title":"Comprehensive geriatric assessment markers in older adults with and without sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","volume":"138","author":"Prokopidis","year":"2025","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1862604\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T09:10:34Z","timestamp":1787217034000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1862604\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"references-count":51,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1862604"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1862604","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"article-number":"1862604"}}