A sarcopenia study from the perspective of emergency transport and emergency hospitalization of local residents

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K10399
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58010:Medical management and medical sociology-related
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Osamu Yamamura 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 教授 (30436844)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: サルコペニア / プレサルコペニア / ダイナペニア / 位相差 / 脚点 / 救急搬送患者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Annual sarcopenia screening was conducted among the elderly in Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture, and the number of emergency cases and hospitalizations among the subjects were compared (624 in total). In the 539 initial cases (age 76.9±8.0 years, 73% female), sarcopenia (group S) accounted for 7%, presarcopenia (group PS) for 13%, and dynapenia (group D) for 12%. Hospital admissions showed a significant increase in the D group versus the healthy group (group N) (p<0.05). Phase differences, a measure of muscle quality, were significantly greater in the S and D groups compared to the PS and N groups (p<0.05).Ambulance users were 1.9% in 2022, a significant decrease from 3.5% in 2021, while hospitalizations were 9.3% in 2022 and 9.7% in 2021, with no significant change.

Free Research Field

preventive medicine

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は人口減少地域における高齢者のサルコペニア、プレサルコペニア、ダイナペニアの有病率を明らかにした。このうちサルコペニア単独では救急搬送件数や入院者数に影響を与えないことが示唆された。新たな概念であるダイナペニアは高齢者の入院に影響を与える可能性が高く、対策の立案が求められる。ダイナペニアが地域に与える影響を論じた研究は少なく、貴重な報告と言える。なお位相角はサルコペニアやダイナペニアの診断を補完する新たな指標となる可能性が高い。
なお、サルコペニア検診により高齢者の救急搬送は減少した可能性があり、地域の公民館レベルでの保健介入は新たなポピュレーションアプローチにつながることが示唆された。