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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04370912

Using Bedside Ultrasound to Screen for Sarcopenia in Older Adults

The loss of both muscle mass and quality with increasing age is called 'sarcopenia' and is a risk factor for falls, fractures and increased mortality. Sarcopenia is diagnosed with Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning (according to current criteria), but in Canada DXA scans are not approved to screen for this condition. One potential solution is Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS), since recent advances have made bedside ultrasound technology readily available as a rapid bedside screening tool.

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Key information

Conditions

Sarcopenia Atrophy Muscular Atrophy Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Neuromuscular Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Anatomical Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

65 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, VGH Research Pavilion Room 186

Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada

About this study

Some recent work has examined the possibility of using ultrasound as a measure of both muscle quantity and muscle quantity. Work done by Strasser et al, has shown that ultrasonic measures of muscle thickness in the quadriceps muscle has a highly significant correlation with maximal voluntary contration. Other work done by Miron-Mombiela et al has shown that measures of muscle thickness and echointensity (a measure of muscle quality) also show high correlations with grip strength. These findings (supported by our pilot data, see Pilot Data) and new technological advances in bedside ultrasonic devices suggest that these measures might be a valuable contribution to the process of screening for sarcopenia in older adults. In this proposal, Investigators hypothesize that bedside ultrasound, which is increasingly becoming a mainstream component of the standard physical exam, will be a much more specific and accurate alternative to our current best screening methods.

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • each subject must be 65 years of age or greater

Exclusion criteria

  • hemodialysis patients will be excluded, due to excessive fluid shifts with dialysis
  • patients using chronic oral corticosteroids will be excluded, due to potential muscle atrophy
  • hemiparesis due to a stroke or paresis of the lower limbs will be excluded
  • subjects with pitting edema on physical exam (due to liver, renal or heart failure) or patients that are severely dehydrated will be excluded
  • patients with myositis, systemic connective tissue disorders, systemic atrophies affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and CNS demyelinating diseases will be excluded

Treatment and study plan

Bed side Ultrasound

Diagnostic Test

Handgrip strength will be measured using a digital grip strength dynamometer (Sammons Preston, Nottinghamshire, UK). This measurement is carried out three times using the subject's dominant hand, and then averaged

Other names: Grip strength, Appendicular Skeletal Mass assessment

Primary outcomes

  1. US measurement for Sarcopenia

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year

    o establish PoCUS measures (muscle thickness, MT; echointensity, EI) as a new screening test for sarcopenia

  2. Weight in kg

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year

    weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2

  3. Height in cm

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year

    weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2

  4. Handgrip strength in kg

    Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year

    Handgrip strength cutoffs for sarcopenia for men and women

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of British Columbia

Other

Collaborators

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2022
First posted
May 1, 2020
Registry last updated
Nov 2, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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