Revisiting: “prevalence of and factors associated with sarcopenia among multi-ethnic ambulatory older Asians with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting”

Background Sarcopenia is an age-related clinical syndrome characterized by loss of muscle mass and reduced muscle function. Diseases that contribute to sarcopenia include type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and cancer and others. Fung FY et al. (BMC Geriatrics. 2019;19(1):122) conducted a single-center study aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia among older patients with T2DM and to identify factors which mitigate sarcopenia. Their study entitled “Prevalence of and factors associated with sarcopenia among multi-ethnic ambulatory older Asians with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting” suggested that the prevalence of sarcopenia in older patients with T2DM was 27.4%, and that Chinese ethnicity was associated with a greater risk of sarcopenia in the study population. Discussion Deficiency in scientific research and analysis of other diseases associated with sarcopenia such as COPD, may contribute to misestimation of the prevalence of sarcopenia in older patients with T2DM. We are concerned that the conclusions of this single-center study with a small study population might be unreliable. Summary The prevalence of sarcopenia in older patients with T2DM in a single-center study with a small sample size may be misestimated due to the lack of strict exclusion criteria and detailed analysis of other diseases that contribute to sarcopenia. In addition, it is inappropriate to draw the conclusion that Chinese ethnic group was associated with a greater risk of sarcopenia among the study population.