Assessment of muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance in clinical practice: An international survey

IntroductionSeveral tools are available for the assessment of muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance in clinical research. However, few data are available on the usage of these tools in clinical practice.MethodsThis study aimed to assess their usage by means of a large online international survey. Since sarcopenia is a specific condition where the assessment of muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance is important, the survey also assessed the tools used for the diagnosis of this geriatric syndrome.ResultsThe survey was completed by 255 clinicians from 55 countries across 5 continents. Among these clinicians with geriatrics, rheumatology and endocrinology as major fields of interest, 53.3% assess muscle mass in daily practice, 54.5% muscle strength and 71.4% physical performance. However, the tools used are very different and no single tool is used by all clinicians. The tools and the cut-off values used by clinicians to diagnose sarcopenia are also heterogeneous.ConclusionBecause some tools used for the assessment of muscle mass, muscle strength or physical performance in daily practice are less validated than others, a greater awareness from the clinicians of the importance of using appropriate tools is needed.