3684 Effects of acute hospitalisation on characteristics of acute sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
3684 Effects of acute hospitalisation on characteristics of acute sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: acute sarcopenia in hospitalised older adults is associated with poor outcomes, such as functional decline, increased risk of falls and prolonged hospital stays. Despite this, its development among older inpatients remains poorly understood. We aimed to quantify the effects of acute hospitalisation on sarcopenia outcomes in older adults.
Methods: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from inception until January 2025. Studies that included acutely admitted patients aged 65 years or older and reported changes in at least one measure of sarcopenia during hospitalisation were included. Barthel Index was also included. A random-effects meta-analysis was undertaken.
Results: fifty-five eligible studies were included (n = 14,919 participants, mean age = 82.2 years). Grip strength significantly increased during hospitalisation (SMD = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.13; 0.33). No physical performance measure showed a significant change, and muscle mass decreased when measured using MRI or DEXA. Barthel Index significantly decreased during hospitalisation when using a pre-admission score as baseline (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI: −0.92; −0.39). Both age and hospital length of stay had no effect on grip strength or Barthel Index.
Conclusions: this review has shown that grip strength improves during hospitalisation and decreases in muscle mass are observed when measured using MRI or DEXA. Muscle strength and physical performance on admission are less suitable baseline measures, as they are often adversely affected during acute illness and, therefore, not representative of true baseline capacity. The lack of improvement in physical performance outcomes is an important finding as it represents failure to return to pre-hospital baseline abilities.
Cartledge, T.
8193740e-83f4-4ec9-84f8-ef675971290f
Tan, Q.
69eee73b-2831-474f-a15a-5b440b6e70a4
Becque, T.
ecd1b4d5-4db8-4442-81c2-04aa291cf2fd
Ibrahim, K.
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
Lim, S.
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
5 February 2026
Cartledge, T.
8193740e-83f4-4ec9-84f8-ef675971290f
Tan, Q.
69eee73b-2831-474f-a15a-5b440b6e70a4
Becque, T.
ecd1b4d5-4db8-4442-81c2-04aa291cf2fd
Ibrahim, K.
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
Lim, S.
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
Cartledge, T., Tan, Q., Becque, T., Ibrahim, K. and Lim, S.
(2026)
3684 Effects of acute hospitalisation on characteristics of acute sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Age and Ageing, 55 (Suppl. 1), [afaf368.095].
(doi:10.1093/ageing/afaf368.095).
Record type:
Meeting abstract
Abstract
Introduction: acute sarcopenia in hospitalised older adults is associated with poor outcomes, such as functional decline, increased risk of falls and prolonged hospital stays. Despite this, its development among older inpatients remains poorly understood. We aimed to quantify the effects of acute hospitalisation on sarcopenia outcomes in older adults.
Methods: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from inception until January 2025. Studies that included acutely admitted patients aged 65 years or older and reported changes in at least one measure of sarcopenia during hospitalisation were included. Barthel Index was also included. A random-effects meta-analysis was undertaken.
Results: fifty-five eligible studies were included (n = 14,919 participants, mean age = 82.2 years). Grip strength significantly increased during hospitalisation (SMD = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.13; 0.33). No physical performance measure showed a significant change, and muscle mass decreased when measured using MRI or DEXA. Barthel Index significantly decreased during hospitalisation when using a pre-admission score as baseline (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI: −0.92; −0.39). Both age and hospital length of stay had no effect on grip strength or Barthel Index.
Conclusions: this review has shown that grip strength improves during hospitalisation and decreases in muscle mass are observed when measured using MRI or DEXA. Muscle strength and physical performance on admission are less suitable baseline measures, as they are often adversely affected during acute illness and, therefore, not representative of true baseline capacity. The lack of improvement in physical performance outcomes is an important finding as it represents failure to return to pre-hospital baseline abilities.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 5 February 2026
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 510754
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510754
ISSN: 0002-0729
PURE UUID: b1388c05-7072-4759-b0a4-bdf5d46d2882
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 21 Apr 2026 16:40
Last modified: 22 Apr 2026 02:10
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
T. Cartledge
Author:
Q. Tan
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics