PD1026 - RISK OF SARCOPENIA AND NUTRITIONAL MARKERS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS IN SANTIAGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Linked sessions

PD1026

RISK OF SARCOPENIA AND NUTRITIONAL MARKERS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS IN SANTIAGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

V. Nicasio1,2,*, J. A. De La Rosa-Laureano3,4,5, M. Medrano3,4

1Nutrition, Dominican Women’s Development Center (DWDC), 2Cardiology, Icahn School Of Medicine, New York, United States, 3Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, 4Clínica Corominas, Santiago, Dominican Republic, 5Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States

 

Rationale: Sarcopenia risk and its nutritional correlates in institutionalized older adults in the Dominican Republic remain poorly described. We aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia risk and its association with nutritional status and physical independence in nursing home residents in Santiago.

Methods: In this prospective multicentre cross-sectional study, 50 adults aged ≥65 years from three nursing homes in Santiago were assessed between April and June 2024. Sarcopenia risk was screened with SARC-CalF, nutritional status with the Mini Nutritional Assessment, muscle strength with handgrip dynamometry, and anthropometry was recorded. Group comparisons used t test and chi-square/Fisher’s exact test, with p<0.05 considered significant.

Results: Mean age was 83.3±8.1 years and 56% were women. Sarcopenia risk was present in 54% of participants. Compared with those without risk, participants at risk had lower body mass index (20.99 vs 21.88 kg/m²; p=0.024), calf circumference (30 vs 31 cm; p=0.002), arm circumference (25 vs 25 cm; p=0.018), and body weight (53.6 vs 54.0 kg; p=0.008). Malnutrition by Mini Nutritional Assessment was more frequent in the at-risk group (65.2% vs 34.8%), but this difference was not significant (p=0.162). Handgrip strength (p=0.646) and physical independence (44.0% vs 43.5%; p=0.945) were similar between groups.

Conclusion: More than half of institutionalized older adults screened positive for sarcopenia risk. Risk status was associated with lower anthropometric markers linked to nutritional reserves and muscle mass. These findings support routine screening with SARC-CalF and simple anthropometry in long-term care settings, together with targeted nutrition and exercise strategies.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared