The mortality determinants of sarcopenia and comorbidities in hospitalized geriatric patients.

Objectives: Determine the influence of muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, nutritional status and certain comorbidities on the four years mortality risk of hospitalized geriatric patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: During hospitalization of the included geriatric patients, the determinants of sarcopenia and nutritional status were obtained.

Participants: A total of 302 patients hospitalized at the geriatric department of the Saint-Elisabeth hospital in Antwerp (Belgium) from 01/08/2012 until 31/01/2013.

Measurements: Muscle mass was measured using a CT scan. The muscle strength was obtained by measuring the handgrip strength using a Jamar dynamometer. The physical performance was measured by performing the SPPB. The nutritional status was surveyed by using the MNA-SF. Comorbidities were obtained through medical records.

Results: The variables gender (HR= 0.609; 95% CI 0.442-0.838), nutritional status (HR= 2.953; 95% CI 1.924-4.531), muscle mass (HR= 0.443; 95% CI 0.251-0.780), muscle strength (HR= 0.215; CI 95% 0.079-0.587), physical performance (HR= 0.407; 95% CI 0.237-0.702) and heart failure (HR= 1.440; 95% CI 1.022-2.029) have been shown to be significant.

Conclusion: The determinants gender, nutritional status and physical performance have the greatest prognostic value.