Sarcopenia: ultrasound today, smartphones tomorrow?

Excerpt

Sarcopenia is a chronic disease characterized by a slow and progressive loss in the amount, composition, and function of skeletal muscle in the human body. The clinical implication of this condition is twofold: on the one hand, loss of muscle mass leads to muscle weakness, which in turns leads to reduced mobility and increased proneness to falls and fractures [1]; on the other hand, sarcopenia has been related to the occurrence of mortality, adverse events, and length of hospitalization in patients undergoing surgery for many pathologies [2]. This condition is gaining increasing importance, as it has been estimated that in 2016 sarcopenia was affecting around 20 million people in Europe, with an expected increase to more than 32 million people by 2045 (+ 63.8%), corresponding to overall prevalence rates in the elderly of 20.2% and 22.3%, respectively [3]. Thus, sarcopenia already represents a major medical and social challenge. …