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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Calcif Tissue Int. 2013 Jul 5;93(2):101–120. doi: 10.1007/s00223-013-9758-y

TABLE 5. Studies of community-dwelling populations having a diagnosis of sarcopenia or frailty and QoL assessment.

Population Diagnosis of Sarcopenia/Frailty QOL Results
Sayer et al. (2006) [114]
England
N = 2,987; aged 59–73 years, mean
age = 66.6 years; 47% of the cohort
were women.
Sarcopenia: grip strength
(mean values were: 44.0 ± 7.5kg for
men and 26.5 ± 5.8kg for women)
SF-36
Men
Women
Decreased grip strength correlated with:
poor PH and GH
poor PH, GH,RP, VT and BP
Masel et al. (2009) [122]
USA (Hispanic
population)
N = 1008; aged 74 years and older,
mean age = 82.3 ± 4.3 years; 63%
women; 40% overweight, 26%
obese.
Frailty (Fried criteria) SF-36
Robust
Pre-frail
Frail
Pop
26%
54%
20%
QOL Physical
44 ± 10
36 ± 12
29 ± 10
QOL Mental (subscores)
58 ± 6
54 ± 11
47 ± 13
Bilotta et al. (2010) [93]
Italy
N = 239; mean age = 81.5 ± 6.3
years; 67% women; 4.3 chronic
diseases; 5.4 drugs/day; 26% had
depression/dementia.
Frailty using the 3 criteria from
Study of Osteoporotic Fractures
(weight loss, exhaustion & 5 times
chair rise exercise)
OPQOL
Robust
Pre-frail
Frail
Pop
30%
37%
33%
OPQOL total score
126 ± 13
116 ± 14
107 ± 13
Lin et al. (2011) [123]
Taiwan
N = 933; 38% aged 65-70 years;
25% aged 71-75yr, 37% aged
>75yrs; 48% women.
Frailty (Fried criteria) SF-36
Robust
Pre-frail
Frail
Pop
47%
44%
10%
QOL Physical
50 (SE 0.5)
48 (SE 0.5)
43 (SE 0.8)
QOL Mental (subscores)
56 (SE 0.6)
54 (SE 0.6)
53 (SE 0.9)
Chang et al. (2012) [124]
Taiwan
N = 374; mean age = 74.6 ± 6.3
years; 53% women; 16% with fall in
previous year; number of
comorbidities = 1.4 ± 1.2;
Frailty (Fried criteria) and using
TGUG for slowness criterion
(lowest 20%)
SF-36
Robust
Pre-frail
Frail
Pop
31%
63%
6%
QOL Physical
49 ± 8
48 ± 8
40 ± 8
QOL Mental (subscores)
57 ± 8
52 ± 9
43 ± 12
Kull et al. (2012) [125]
Estonia
N = 227; aged 40-70 years, mean
age = 55 years; 53% women.
Sarcopenia: hand-grip strength
< 6.5kg/cm2 F / < 24.4kg/cm2 M; or
ALM using DXA < 4.87kg/m2 F / <
6.60kg/m2 M
(BMD also measured)
SF-36
(sub)
Normal
Sarcopen
Osteopen
‘Sarco-os-’
Pop

53%
14%
39%
7%
QOL Physical

50
na
50
47
QOL Mental
48
na
49
42
Gobbens et al. (2012)
[126]
Netherlands
N = 484; aged 75 years and older;
N = 336 at 1 year follow-up; N =
266 at 2 years follow-up.
Frailty assessed according to the
Tilburg Frailty Indicator at baseline
WHOQOL
-BREF QLSI
Medium to very large associations of frailty with advers
outcomes and poor QOL 1 or 2 years later.
Langlois et al. (2012) [127]
Canada
N = 83 (39 frail + 44 non-frail Frailty assessed using a geriatric
examination and scored using the
Modified Physical Performance Test
QLSI Frail elders reported poor self-perception of physical capacity,
cognition, affectivity, housekeeping efficacy, and physical health.

Notes: All studies were of community dwelling individuals; all studies except Gobbens et al were cross-sectional; unless stated patients were at least 65 years old for inclusion

Abbreviations: ALM: appendicular lean mass; BMD: bone mineral density, BP: bodily pain; DXA: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; GH: general health, na: not available; PH: physical health; Pop: population; QLSI: Quality of Life Systemic Inventory Questionnaire; RP role physical; VT: vitality.