SARC-F: A Simple Questionnaire to Rapidly Diagnose Sarcopenia

Original Editor - Lucinda hampton

Top Contributors - Lucinda hampton and Kim Jackson  

Introduction[edit | edit source]

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Strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls (SARC-F) questionnaire:

The SARC-F questionnaire is a screening tool that can be rapidly implemented by clinicians to identify probable sarcopenic patients. The questionnaire screens patients for self-reported signs suggestive of sarcopenia, which include deficiencies in strength, walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and experiencing falls. Each of the self-reported parameters receives a minimum and maximum score of 0 and 2, respectively, with the greatest maximum SARC-F score being 10.[1]

Implementation[edit | edit source]

SARC-F Screen for Sarcopenia: Component Question Scoring

Strength: How much difficulty do you have in lifting and carrying 10 pounds?

  • None 0
  • Some 1
  • A lot or unable 2

Assistance in walking: How much difficulty do you have walking across a room?

  • None 0
  • Some 1
  • A lot, use aids, or unable 2

Rise from a chair: How much difficulty do you have transferring from a chair or bed?

  • None 0
  • Some 1
  • A lot or unable without help 2

Climb stairs: How much difficulty do you have climbing a flight of 10 stairs?

  • None 0
  • Some 1
  • A lot or unable 2

Falls: How many times have you fallen in the past year?

  • None 0
  • 1ess than 3 falls 1
  • 4 or more falls 2[2]

Data suggests that a SARC-F score of ≥4 best predicts the need for further, more comprehensive evaluation[1]

Validity[edit | edit source]

The SARC-F proved internally consistent and valid for detecting persons at risk for adverse outcomes from sarcopenia in AAH, BLSA, and NHANES.[3]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Ardeljan AD, Hurezeanu R. Sarcopenia. StatPearls [Internet]. 2020 Jul 10. Available from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560813/ (accessed 9.3.2021)
  2. Malmstrom TK, Morley JE. SARC-F: a simple questionnaire to rapidly diagnose sarcopenia. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2013 Aug 1;14(8):531-2.Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/243966215_SARC-F_A_Simple_Questionnaire_to_Rapidly_Diagnose_Sarcopenia (accessed 10.3.2021)
  3. Malmstrom TK, Miller DK, Simonsick EM, Ferrucci L, Morley JE. SARC‐F: a symptom score to predict persons with sarcopenia at risk for poor functional outcomes. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle. 2016 Mar;7(1):28-36.Available from:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27066316/ (accessed 10.3.2021)