Exercise interventions in healthy older adults with sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the effects of exercise interventions on body composition and functional outcomes in older adults with sarcopenia.

METHODS: PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched from 2006 to 2017 for exercise randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials in adults 60 years and older with sarcopenia. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis protocol (PRISMA-P) and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale assessed internal validity. Meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed.

RESULTS: Searches retrieved 1512 titles. Thirty-two full texts were evaluated, and six trials were included. Methodological quality was 5.5 (0-10). Meta-analysis revealed that knee-extension strength (P ≤ 0.01), timed up and go (P < 0.0001), appendicular muscle mass (P = 0.04) and leg muscle mass (P = 0.04) significantly improved in response to exercise interventions.

CONCLUSIONS: Exercise interventions significantly improved strength, balance and muscle mass. However, the number of trials was small and the training effect was inconsistent due to heterogeneity in exercise mode, duration and intensity. Lack of detailed description makes it impossible to reflect on the progressive resistance training approaches used. More research is needed to confirm these findings.