Association of a self-report screening tool for sarcopenia (SARC-F) with functional status outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus

Background/Purpose Sarcopenia, i.e., loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, is associated with poorer health. Although limited data suggest that sarcopenia is more prevalent among adults with (vs without) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), current methods for assessing sarcopenia are cumbersome and not widely available. We assessed associations of a self-report screening tool for sarcopenia (SARC-F) with functional outcomes in adults with SLE. Methods We obtained self-report functional measures and performance-based measures of physical function from women ≥18 years of age with SLE. Participants completed the SARC-F, covering strength, assistance walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls. We compared self-report functional measures and performance-based measures of physical function between dichotomized SARC-F scores (≥4 vs <4). We used Pearson correlations and linear and logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between the SARC-F as a continuous and dichotomous score with self-report functional measures and performance-based measures of physical function. Results Of 47 participants, 16 (34%) had worse SARC-F scores (i.e., ≥4). Participants with SARC-F ≥4 had worse organ damage and functional measures than those with SARC-F <4 (all p < 0.01). SARC-F continuous scores were correlated with hand grip strength, 4-m walk test, and self-report disability (all p < 0.01) and associated with functional status measures, including after adjustment ( p < 0.01 to p = 0.046). Dichotomous SARC-F was associated with 4-m walk test ( p < 0.01), including in adjusted models. Conclusion Among women with SLE, SARC-F was significantly associated with multiple functional status measures, suggesting that SARC-F is a promising screening tool for detection of sarcopenia among women with SLE.