The Role of Combined Muscle Ultrasound and Bioimpedentiometry Parameters for Sarcopenia Diagnosis in a Population of Hospitalized Older Adults
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Background: For the study of quantitative and qualitative muscle parameters, ultrasound and bioelectric impedance analysis are reliable, non-invasive, and reproducible. The aim of this study was to test the combined role of those techniques for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in a population of hospitalized older males and females. Methods: A total of 70 subjects were recruited, including 10 healthy adults and 60 hospitalized elderly patients with a good level of independence and cooperation, with and without sarcopenia. The rectus femoris cross-sectional area (CSA), thickness, echogenicity, and compressibility were measured with ultrasound echography. The phase angles (PhAs) and skeletal muscle mass were calculated by bioimpedence analysis. The muscle quality index (MQI) was calculated as the product of CSA and PhA. Results: Muscle compressibility was greater and PhA was lower in sarcopenic when compared with non-sarcopenic subjects. The threshold values for sarcopenia diagnosis in both sexes of CSA, of PhA, and of the MQI were identified. The obtained CSA values showed an AUC of 0.852 for women and 0.867 for men, PhA of 0.792 in women and 0.898 in men, while MQI was 0.900 for women and 0.969 for men. Conclusions: The newly calculated cut-off values of CSA, PhA, and MQI predicted the presence of sarcopenia with good sensitivity and specificity values. The use of the MQI proved to be more promising than the separate use of CSA and PhA in both male and female subjects.
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Recent evidence supports the complementary use of bioelectrical impedance analysis and muscle ultrasound as precise, non-invasive methods to assess muscle quality and detect sarcopenia.
“Recent evidence also supports the complementary use of BIA and MU as precise, non-invasive methods to assess muscle quality and detect sarcopenia [17].”
From The Seven Methods for the Evaluation of Nutritional Status—ABCDEFG: Narrative Review (2026) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Zanotelli, A., Rossi, A. P., Del Monte, L., Vantini, G., Stabile, G., Urbani, S., Giani, A., Zoico, E., Babbanini, A., Fantin, F., Zamboni, M., & Mazzali, G.
- Affiliations
- Section of Geriatric Medicine, Ospedale Santa Maria del Carmine, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
- Ca' Foncello Hospital (IT)
- Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Verona, 37100 Verona, Italy
- University of Verona (IT)
- University of Trento (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Rossi, Andrea P.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nutrients
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2024-07-26
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 15
- Pages
- 2429
- ISSN
- 2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC11313821
- OpenAlex
- W4401025417
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 1.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Iris (University of Trento) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Keywords
- sarcopenia, muscle ultrasound, bioelectrical impedance analysis, phase angle, muscle quality index, rectus femoris cross-sectional area, muscle echogenicity, hospitalized older adults, sarcopenia diagnosis, cut-off values, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Composition, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Ultrasonography, Electric Impedance, Muscle, Skeletal, Quadriceps Muscle, Sarcopenia
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