SARC-F has low correlation and reliability with skeletal muscle mass index in older gastrointestinal cancer patients

Background & aims: The evaluation of function and muscle mass in older cancer patients is essential to reduce comorbidities. We hypothesized that Simple Questionnaire to Rapidly Diagnose Sarcopenia (SARC-F) questionnaire is useful to assessment the muscle function, but not muscle mass. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation and reliability between the SARC-F and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in older gastrointestinal cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study enrolled 108 (63.55 +/- 8.9 y) gastrointestinal cancer patients. The patients were evaluated using the SARC-F questionnaire and the muscle mass index (SMI). SMI was calculated using Lee's equation: the appendicular muscle mass (ASM) was divided by height. Pearson's correlation was used to examine the correlation between SARC-F and SMI. The Blande-Altman plot and Cohen's kappa coefficient were used to determine the concordance and reliability between them. Statistical difference was set at p < 0.05. Results: The Blande-Altman plot showed that the difference between methods were within agreement (+/- 1.96; p = 0.001). However, SARC-F has low concordance (k = 0.20; standard error = 0.14) and correlation (r = -0.303; p = 0.0014) with SMI. Conclusion: In older cancer outpatients, we found that SARC-F has low correlation and reliability with SMI. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In older cancer outpatients, the SARC-F questionnaire was found to have low correlation and reliability with the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI).