Accuracy and Applicability of the SARC-F and SARC-CalF Questionnaire in the Screening of Sarcopenia in Hospitalized Elderly Patients

Background/ Purpose: The SARC-F and its versions is an easily applicable instrument for screening for sarcopenia, allowing its early identification. However, some studies have shown that its validity may be limited, making it necessary to test the discriminatory power of sarcopenia in different populations. To evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the SARC-F and SARC-CalF questionnaire in the screening of sarcopenia in hospitalized elderly patients. Methods: Methodological, cross- sectional study with elderly hospitalized between March and September 2021. To assess the risk of sarcopenia, the SARC-F and SARC-CalF questionnaires were applied. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was established by the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2. Results: Sample composed of 176 patients. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 37.5% and the positive screening for sarcopenia according to the SARC-F and SARC-CalF was 20.5% and 43.8%, respectively. The SARC-F had low sensitivity (27.3%) and high specificity (83.6%). The SARC-CalF showed improvement, indicating sensitivity and specificity of 69.7% and 71.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Despite its high specificity, the low sensitivity of SARC-F makes the tool unsuitable for screening for sarcopenia. The SARC-CalF, on the other hand, presented acceptable performance.