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Prevalence of sarcopenia as a comorbid disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Pacifico J, Geerlings MAJ, Reijnierse EM, Phassouliotis C, Lim WK, Maier AB.. Experimental gerontology, 2019-12-28
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Sarcopenia shares risk factors with various other age-related diseases. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia as a comorbid disease. Methods Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for articles from inception to 8th June 2018, reporting the prevalence of sarcopenia in individuals with a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD), dementia, diabetes mellitus or respiratory disease and, if applicable their controls. No exclusion criteria were applied with regards to definition of sarcopenia, individuals' age, study design and setting. Meta-analyses were stratified by disease, definition of sarcopenia and continent. Results The 63 included articles described 17,206 diseased individuals (mean age: 65.3 ± 1.6 years, 49.9% females) and 22,375 non-diseased controls (mean age: 54.6 ± 16.2 years, 53.8% females). The prevalence of sarcopenia in individuals with CVD was 31.4% (95% CI: 22.4-42.1%), no controls were available. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 26.4% (95% CI: 13.6-44.8%) in individuals with dementia compared to 8.3% (95% CI: 2.8-21.9%) in their controls; 31.1% (95% CI: 19.8-45.2%) in individuals with diabetes mellitus compared to 16.2% (95% CI: 9.5-26.2%) in controls; and 26.8% (95% CI: 17.8-38.1%) in individuals with respiratory diseases compared to 13.3% (95% CI: 8.3-20.7%) in controls. Conclusions Sarcopenia is highly prevalent in individuals with CVD, dementia, diabetes mellitus and respiratory disease.
Key findings
- Results The 63 included articles described 17,206 diseased individuals (mean age: 65.3 ± 1.6 years, 49.9% females) and 22,375 non-diseased controls (mean age: 54.6 ± 16.2 years, 53.8% females).
- The prevalence of sarcopenia was 26.4% (95% CI: 13.6-44.8%) in individuals with dementia compared to 8.3% (95% CI: 2.8-21.9%) in their controls; 31.1% (95% CI: 19.8-45.2%) in individuals with diabetes mellitus compared to 16.2% (95% CI: 9.5-26.2%) in controls; and 26.8% (95% CI: 17.8-38.1%) in individuals with respiratory diseases compared to 13.3% (95% CI: 8.3-20.7%) in controls.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis found that sarcopenia was more common in people with dementia (26.4%) than in controls (8.3%), and also more common in people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease. It shows sarcopenia often occurs alongside these conditions but does not test any treatment to prevent or cure dementia.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Effect size49.9%; 53.8%; 31.4%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Experimental gerontology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Experimental Gerontology: journal h-index 195 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 336 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 42.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 134 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Andrea Britta Maier: h-index 81 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Melbourne: institution h-index 1,342 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31887347) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.110801
- PubMed: 31887347
- Original source →
- Free full text: Experimental Gerontology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Pacifico, J., Geerlings, M. A. J., Reijnierse, E. M., Phassouliotis, C., Lim, W. K., & Maier, A. B. (2020). Prevalence of sarcopenia as a comorbid disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Experimental gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2019.110801
Vancouver
Pacifico J, Geerlings MAJ, Reijnierse EM, Phassouliotis C, Lim WK, Maier AB. Prevalence of sarcopenia as a comorbid disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Experimental gerontology. 2020. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2019.110801. PMID: 31887347.
BibTeX
@article{pacifico2020-31887347,
author = {Pacifico, J. and Geerlings, M. A. J. and Reijnierse, E. M. and Phassouliotis, C. and Lim, W. K. and Maier, A. B.},
title = {{Prevalence of sarcopenia as a comorbid disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis}},
journal = {Experimental gerontology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1016/j.exger.2019.110801},
pmid = {31887347},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2019.110801}
}
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