• Janaína Oliveira de Araújo, do NascimentoMaria KarolainyMKPostgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil., Amanda de Sousa Rebouças, Galtieri Otávio Cunha de Medeiros, da Costa PereiraJarson PedroJPDepartment of Nutrition, Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Public Health, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil., and FayhAna Paula TrussardiAPTPostgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil; PesqClin Lab, Onofre Lopes University Hospital, Brazilian Company of Hospital Services (EBSERH), Feder.
• Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
• Nutrition. 2024 Aug 23; 128: 112564112564.

PurposeOur study aimed to 1) investigate the differences of muscle parameters in relation to each SARC-F component/question; and 2) explore the relationship between SARC-F score with these muscle parameters using various landmarks derived from computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with cancer.MethodsThis study is a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort comprised of consecutive patients with cancer, displaying CT scans. SARC-F questionnaire was utilized as a proxy for muscle functionality, with a score ≥4 indicating a poor status. Muscle assessment via CT measurements was performed using single cross-sectional images at the level of the third lumbar vertebrae (L3) in the abdominal region, the thigh region, and the total gluteal region at the level of the second sacral vertebrae. Skeletal muscle (SM) cross-sectional area, SM index (normalized to height2), and SM radiodensity (SMD) were evaluated for all anatomical landmarks.ResultsA total of 128 patients were included in this analysis (53.1% females, 61.7% older adults). Patients with SARC-F scores ≥4 demonstrated significantly lower values of SMD across all landmarks assessed. Those reporting difficulties related to strength (P = 0.039), requiring assistance in walking (P = 0.033), and climbing stairs (P = 0.012) exhibited significantly lower SMD values at the L3 landmark. At gluteus and thigh levels, only patients experiencing difficulty climbing stairs (P = 0.012) showed significantly lower values of SMD. Only SMD at gluteus level was independently associated with SARC-F score (βadjusted -0.09, 95% CI -0.16 to -0.02).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that individuals with poor muscle composition may experience a higher risk of sarcopenia/poor muscle functionality.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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