Financial impact of sarcopenia or low muscle mass - A short review.
Costs
Health care expenditure
Low muscle mass
Sarcopenia
Journal
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
ISSN: 1532-1983
Titre abrégé: Clin Nutr
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8309603
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 2019
08 2019
Historique:
received:
12
06
2018
revised:
03
08
2018
accepted:
24
09
2018
pubmed:
15
10
2018
medline:
23
6
2020
entrez:
15
10
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Low muscle mass is associated with increased falls, medical complications, length of hospital stay and loss of independence. An increasing number of studies has also shown the association between sarcopenia and health care expenditure. The following narrative review summarizes the current evidence on the economic relevance of low muscle mass (MM) or sarcopenia. An extensive search of the literature in Medline identified twelve studies in English, which evaluated direct and indirect health care expenditure in patients with low muscle mass or sarcopenia (low MM and strength or mobility). Three studies analysed the cost of age-related loss of MM or strength in large surveys of the general, older population. Six retrospective analyses evaluated perioperative medical costs related to low MM in primarily older patients from different medical areas. One prospective study presented hospital costs related to sarcopenia in patients with gastric cancer. Two studies presented data from general hospital patients. Despite the difference in diagnostic criteria, study population and statistical design, low MM and sarcopenia were consistently identified as predictors of increased health care expenditure in community, perioperative and general hospital settings. Low MM and sarcopenia are prevalent and associated with significantly higher health care costs. Considering the demographic change, which will lead to an increasing number of patients with sarcopenia, every effort should be made to identify and treat patients with sarcopenia. The use of a unified definition and diagnostic criteria would allow a better comparison of data.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Low muscle mass is associated with increased falls, medical complications, length of hospital stay and loss of independence. An increasing number of studies has also shown the association between sarcopenia and health care expenditure. The following narrative review summarizes the current evidence on the economic relevance of low muscle mass (MM) or sarcopenia.
METHODS
An extensive search of the literature in Medline identified twelve studies in English, which evaluated direct and indirect health care expenditure in patients with low muscle mass or sarcopenia (low MM and strength or mobility).
RESULTS
Three studies analysed the cost of age-related loss of MM or strength in large surveys of the general, older population. Six retrospective analyses evaluated perioperative medical costs related to low MM in primarily older patients from different medical areas. One prospective study presented hospital costs related to sarcopenia in patients with gastric cancer. Two studies presented data from general hospital patients. Despite the difference in diagnostic criteria, study population and statistical design, low MM and sarcopenia were consistently identified as predictors of increased health care expenditure in community, perioperative and general hospital settings.
CONCLUSIONS
Low MM and sarcopenia are prevalent and associated with significantly higher health care costs. Considering the demographic change, which will lead to an increasing number of patients with sarcopenia, every effort should be made to identify and treat patients with sarcopenia. The use of a unified definition and diagnostic criteria would allow a better comparison of data.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30316536
pii: S0261-5614(18)32464-6
doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.09.026
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1489-1495Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.