The role of DXA in sarcopenia

摘要: Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by progressive and generalized reduction in skeletal muscle mass strength, associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes (disability, hospitalization, death). The growing attention the last years, aiming to establish consensus definition treatment, reflects interest scientific community toward this complex condition, which has many implications clinical practice public health. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) gold-standard technique analysis body composition at molecular level, providing assessment quantification fat mass, lean bone mineral content, both single region whole-body level. In particular, through non-bone parameters, such as appendicular adjusted for BMI or height (ALM/BMI ALM/ht2, respectively), it possible discriminate subjects “physiological” loss from those “pathological” impoverishment compartment, referring specific cutoff values validated literature, but keeping mind lack standardization DXA measures. addition, useful treatment planning, estimating resting energy expenditure, follow-up, because allows quantifying high reproducibility modifications BC, distinguishing when change biological (deterioration due progression disease improvement treatment). Due favorability terms accuracy, simplicity, availability, low cost radiation exposure, its role sarcopenia diagnosis becoming increasingly important, emerging reference evaluation.