Psychometric properties of the SarQoL questionnaire: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Psychometric properties of the SarQoL questionnaire: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: the Sarcopenia and Quality of Life (SarQoL) questionnaire is recognized as the only disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for assessing sarcopenia-related HRQoL. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a quantitative summary of all evidence reported on the reliability, validity, responsiveness and floor/ceiling effects of SarQoL in older adults.
Methods: following PRISMA-COSMIN guidelines, a systematic search for studies evaluating the psychometric properties of SarQoL (i.e., reliability, validity, responsiveness and floor and ceiling effects) in older people was conducted on MEDLINE (via OVID), PsycINFO, Scopus and EMBASE. Studies published between 2013 and November 2024 using a consensual definition of sarcopenia were included. Study selection and data extraction were made by two independent reviewers. A random-effects model meta-analysis was applied. PROSPERO registration: CRD42024546880.
Results: from 411 studies identified by the search strategy, 25 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 4585 community-dwelling individuals, of which 1311 were diagnosed as sarcopenic. SarQoL demonstrated high reliability (pooled Cronbach's alpha values consistently exceeding 0.80) and excellent test–retest reliability (pooled ICC = 0.98). Construct validity was confirmed with strong convergent correlations (pooled r > 0.54) with related dimensions of generic SF-36 and EQ-5D and weaker divergent correlations (pooled r < 0.47). Responsiveness, evaluated in two studies using different methodologies, supported the ability of SarQoL to detect meaningful changes in HRQoL. The certainty of evidence was rated as high for reliability, validity and responsiveness.
Conclusion: this meta-analysis consolidates a decade of evidence and confirms the strong psychometric properties of SarQoL, with a high level of evidence.
PROMs, SarQoL, meta-analysis, psychometric properties, quality of life, sarcopenia
Demonceau, Céline
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Christian, Brabant
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Emmanuel, Shukuru
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Alokail, Majed
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Al-Daghri, Nasser
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Rolland, Yves
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Bautmans, Ivan
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Bauer, Jürgen M
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Cherubini, Antonio
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Cruz-Jentoft, Alfonso J
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Dawson-Hughes, Bess
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Fielding, Roger A
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Harvey, Nicholas C
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Landi, Francesco
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Visser, Marjolein
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Duque, Gustavo
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Rizzoli, René
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Reginster, Jean-Yves
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Bruyère, Olivier
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Beaudart, Charlotte
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23 November 2025
Demonceau, Céline
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Christian, Brabant
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Emmanuel, Shukuru
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Alokail, Majed
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Al-Daghri, Nasser
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Rolland, Yves
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Bautmans, Ivan
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Bauer, Jürgen M
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Cherubini, Antonio
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Cruz-Jentoft, Alfonso J
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Dawson-Hughes, Bess
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Fielding, Roger A
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Harvey, Nicholas C
ce487fb4-d360-4aac-9d17-9466d6cba145
Landi, Francesco
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Visser, Marjolein
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Duque, Gustavo
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Rizzoli, René
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Reginster, Jean-Yves
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Bruyère, Olivier
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Beaudart, Charlotte
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Demonceau, Céline, Christian, Brabant, Emmanuel, Shukuru, Alokail, Majed, Al-Daghri, Nasser, Rolland, Yves, Bautmans, Ivan, Bauer, Jürgen M, Cherubini, Antonio, Cruz-Jentoft, Alfonso J, Dawson-Hughes, Bess, Fielding, Roger A, Harvey, Nicholas C, Landi, Francesco, Visser, Marjolein, Duque, Gustavo, Rizzoli, René, Reginster, Jean-Yves, Bruyère, Olivier and Beaudart, Charlotte
(2025)
Psychometric properties of the SarQoL questionnaire: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 16 (6), [e70122].
(doi:10.1002/jcsm.70122).
Abstract
Background: the Sarcopenia and Quality of Life (SarQoL) questionnaire is recognized as the only disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for assessing sarcopenia-related HRQoL. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a quantitative summary of all evidence reported on the reliability, validity, responsiveness and floor/ceiling effects of SarQoL in older adults.
Methods: following PRISMA-COSMIN guidelines, a systematic search for studies evaluating the psychometric properties of SarQoL (i.e., reliability, validity, responsiveness and floor and ceiling effects) in older people was conducted on MEDLINE (via OVID), PsycINFO, Scopus and EMBASE. Studies published between 2013 and November 2024 using a consensual definition of sarcopenia were included. Study selection and data extraction were made by two independent reviewers. A random-effects model meta-analysis was applied. PROSPERO registration: CRD42024546880.
Results: from 411 studies identified by the search strategy, 25 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 4585 community-dwelling individuals, of which 1311 were diagnosed as sarcopenic. SarQoL demonstrated high reliability (pooled Cronbach's alpha values consistently exceeding 0.80) and excellent test–retest reliability (pooled ICC = 0.98). Construct validity was confirmed with strong convergent correlations (pooled r > 0.54) with related dimensions of generic SF-36 and EQ-5D and weaker divergent correlations (pooled r < 0.47). Responsiveness, evaluated in two studies using different methodologies, supported the ability of SarQoL to detect meaningful changes in HRQoL. The certainty of evidence was rated as high for reliability, validity and responsiveness.
Conclusion: this meta-analysis consolidates a decade of evidence and confirms the strong psychometric properties of SarQoL, with a high level of evidence.
Text
J cachexia sarcopenia muscle - 2025 - Demonceau - Psychometric Properties of the SarQoL Questionnaire A Systematic Review
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 28 September 2025
Published date: 23 November 2025
Additional Information:
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Keywords:
PROMs, SarQoL, meta-analysis, psychometric properties, quality of life, sarcopenia
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 507681
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/507681
ISSN: 2190-5991
PURE UUID: c1398d11-87d6-458c-8f3c-ab16439eb076
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Date deposited: 17 Dec 2025 17:34
Last modified: 18 Dec 2025 02:38
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Contributors
Author:
Céline Demonceau
Author:
Brabant Christian
Author:
Shukuru Emmanuel
Author:
Majed Alokail
Author:
Nasser Al-Daghri
Author:
Yves Rolland
Author:
Ivan Bautmans
Author:
Jürgen M Bauer
Author:
Antonio Cherubini
Author:
Alfonso J Cruz-Jentoft
Author:
Bess Dawson-Hughes
Author:
Roger A Fielding
Author:
Francesco Landi
Author:
Marjolein Visser
Author:
Gustavo Duque
Author:
René Rizzoli
Author:
Jean-Yves Reginster
Author:
Olivier Bruyère
Author:
Charlotte Beaudart
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