SARCOPENIA AND FRAILTY IN DEMENTIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Keywords:
sarcopenia, frailty, dementia, comprehensive geriatric assessmentAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/gt.v9i17.0355
Abstract
Population aging in Ecuador forecasts a rise in neurodegenerative diseases and geriatric syndromes such as sarcopenia and frailty, posing a major public health challenge. This systematic review aimed to examine the relationship between sarcopenia and/or frailty and dementia, contextualizing international findings to the national setting. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, including observational human studies with a dementia diagnosis that reported prevalence or associations with sarcopenia and frailty. A total of 27 studies were included, encompassing over 100,000 participants, with a mean age of 75 years and a predominance of women. Results consistently indicate that individuals with dementia exhibit higher prevalence of frailty and sarcopenia-related features, with frailty emerging as a potential predictor of dementia and adverse clinical outcomes. The association is stronger for non-Alzheimer dementias, and evidence suggests that frailty may precede cognitive decline. Regarding sarcopenia, current evidence remains limited but points to lower muscle mass and strength in dementia patients and an increased risk of disease progression. In conclusion, frailty and sarcopenia may act as early markers of cognitive impairment, highlighting the importance of their screening in comprehensive geriatric assessment. Future research should standardize diagnostic criteria and investigate shared biological mechanisms to support targeted preventive strategies.
Keywords: sarcopenia, frailty, dementia, comprehensive geriatric assessment.
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