Associations of social frailty with loss of muscle mass and muscle weakness among community-dwelling older adults.

AIM: The present cross-sectional study examined the associations of social frailty status with loss of muscle mass and weakness among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS: Data from 353 older adults (74.8% women) who had participated in a community-based health check survey (Tarumizu Study) were analyzed. Social frailty was defined using responses to five questions (going out less frequently, rarely visiting friends, feeling unhelpful to friends or family, living alone and not talking with someone every day). Participants with two or more components were considered socially frail. We assessed appendicular skeletal muscle mass using bioelectrical impedance analysis and calculated appendicular skeletal muscle index. Dominant handgrip strength was assessed. Loss of skeletal muscle mass (appendicular skeletal muscle index <7.0 kg/m2 for men, <5.7 kg/m2 for women) and muscle weakness (handgrip strength <26 kg for men, <18 kg for women) were determined based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria.

RESULTS: The prevalence of social frailty was 14.7%. A higher prevalence of muscle weakness and loss of skeletal muscle mass in participants with social frailty was shown than in those without (muscle weakness 44.2% vs 23.6%, P ≤ 0.05; loss of skeletal muscle mass 59.6% vs 46.2%, P = 0.07). Social frailty was independently associated with muscle weakness (odds ratio 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.06-3.95), but not with loss of skeletal muscle mass (odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 0.78-2.76) after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS: Social frailty status could be associated with muscle weakness, though not a loss of skeletal muscle mass. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 76-80.