Pilot study to identify the modification of performance in sarcopenic nursing home patients after introduction of protein and D vitamin supplementation
Autori
Abstract
Introduction
In the population between 60 and 70 years prevalence, the ratio is from 5 to 13% and in more than 80 year old people the prevalence is between 11 and 50% 1. The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) defined a conceptual framework that shows three level of sarcopenia: pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia and high sarcopenia Recent studies indicate that a vitamin D and leucine-enriched whey protein oral nutritional supplement can improve in muscle mass, and lower-extremity function among sarcopenic older adults 2.
Aim
To improve the management of sarcopenic patients in the province of Genoa (IT) and to measure the prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly institutionalised in Genoa using the EWGSOP-defined algorithm
Methods
Transversal, prospective observational study in nursing homes. Exclusion criteria: active tumoral disease; severe cognitive impairment; condition against bioimdenziometric analysis. Sarcopenia has been evaluated with the definition and EWGSOP-defined algorithm physical performance: gait speed of using the 4-meter walking; hand grip strength test using Dynax digital dynamometer and evaluation of Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) using BIA vector analysis.
Results
In this pilot, we test 17 people from 2 different nursing homes; we found all 17 patient enrolled at high-level Sarcopenia. During observation, the patients were supplemented with Leucine and Vitamin D with by the nursing Home physicians. We provide the same test after three months of therapy, and we found a light modification on EWGSOP indicators as shown in Table 1
Discussion
The improvement of EWGSOP parameter, even not significant, allow us to be confident in developing the next RCT to assess parameters in a larger sample of patients
