SÀNG LỌC THIỂU CƠ Ở NGƯỜI SUY TIM MẠN

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia is defined as a loss of skeletal muscle mass, accompanied by a decline in muscle strength and/or reduced physical performance. It is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure, leading to impaired physical function and serving as an independent predictor of exercise capacity and mortality. The SARC-CalF tool, recommended by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) for clinical practice, is a simple, easy-to-implement instrument for rapid screening of sarcopenia risk, enabling timely diagnosis and intervention. This tool is well-suited for outpatient heart failure management programs. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia risk and its associated factors in patients with chronic heart failure. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 119 patients with chronic heart failure attending the Heart Failure Clinic at the University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City (Campus 1). Clinical and laboratory data were collected, and sarcopenia risk was assessed using the SARC-CalF tool. Results: The median age of the cohort was 63 (IQR: 49-69) years, and 35.3% were female. The overall prevalence of sarcopenia risk was 20.2%. Body Mass Index (BMI), female sex, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and cancer were significantly associated with sarcopenia risk (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Screening for sarcopenia should be considered as part of an outpatient heart failure management program.