Evaluation of the SARC-F Score as a Screening Tool for Undernutrition in a Geriatric Population

Evaluation of the SARC-F Score as a Screening Tool for Undernutrition in a Geriatric Population

To study the relationship between sarcopenia and undernutrition in adult patients over 70 years of age, and at the same time to define a threshold value for the predictive SARC-F score of undernutrition.

Hypothesis : the SARC-F score is correlated with malnutrition defined according to the following HAS criteria :

Moderate denutrition Severe denutrition

The geriatric population is a population at risk, given the frequent and numerous comorbidities present. Undernutrition is one of these, which is frequently associated with sarcopenia, that is, a decrease in muscle strength. Its screening must be early to avoid complications (osteoporosis, fractures, infections ...) and given the cost it generates for society. However, the detection of undernutrition can sometimes be time-consuming and its criteria in default, such as in the presence of edema or obesity, for example. There is a score, the SARC-F, which allows to detect sarcopenia from a result greater than or equal to 4, but which does not allow direct detection of undernutrition.

The primary objective is to evaluate the SARC-F score as a screening tool for undernutrition in a geriatric population, secondary objectives being to find a threshold value at this score, and also to estimate a prevalence of undernutrition in this population.

It will be a cross-sectional exploratory study to evaluate a diagnostic tool, the SARC-F score, with comparison between cases and controls.

The study will be conducted in a single center, a geriatric short-stay service. Participation in the study will be offered to any patient admitted to the geriatric ward, those who meet the inclusion criteria and do not have exclusion criteria will have to complete the SARC-F questionnaire during their stay, and to do the handgrip test and impedancemetry performed by a third party. Biological data (albumin, pre-albumin and C-Reactive Protein) and anthropometric data will be collected and analyzed to determine if the patient is malnourished or not, and the results of SARC-F will be compared between these 2 groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 70 years and over
• living at home or in nursing homes in Puy-de-Dôme
• sent in short geriatric stay at the Grand Pré clinic by their general practioner, an emergency department or an EHPAD

Exclusion Criteria:

• refusal to participate in the study
• severe dementia preventing answering SARC-F questions
• no fluency in the French language
• patient with a pacemaker (contraindication of the use of impedancemetry)