Limited physician knowledge of sarcopenia: A survey.
Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>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.<h4>Methods</h4>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).<h4>Results</h4>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 in a medical chart for a patient presenting
with significant loss of muscle mass and strength, only 8% said sarcopenia.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Sarcopenia,
a condition that can have a major impact on older adults as they age, has not been
fully incorporated into the knowledge base and practices of active physicians. The
survey data suggest that improving physician familiarity with sarcopenia and having
universal agreement on criteria for diagnosis may increase the screening for and treatment
of sarcopenia.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/26681Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1111/jgs.18227Publication Info
Guralnik, Jack M; Cawthon, Peggy M; Bhasin, Shalender; Fielding, Roger; Magaziner,
Jay; Cruz-Jentoft, Alfonso J; ... Evans, William (2023). Limited physician knowledge of sarcopenia: A survey. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 10.1111/jgs.18227. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/26681.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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William Joseph Evans
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine

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