Calf circumference as a surrogate marker of muscle mass for diagnosing sarcopenia in Japanese men and women.
Kawakami, Ryoko 1, 3, 4; Murakami, Haruka 3; Sanada, Kiyoshi 5; Tanaka, Noriko 3; Sawada, Susumu S 3; Tabata, Izumi 5; Higuchi, Mitsuru 2; Miyachi, Motohiko 3
[Article] Geriatrics & Gerontology International. 15(8):969-976, August 2015.

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Aim: To examine the relationship between calf circumference and muscle mass, and to evaluate the suitability of calf circumference as a surrogate marker of muscle mass for the diagnosis of sarcopenia among middle-aged and older Japanese men and women.

Methods: A total of 526 adults aged 40-89 years participated in the present cross-sectional study. The maximum calf circumference was measured in a standing position. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the skeletal muscle index was calculated as appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by the square of the height (kg/m2). The cut-off values for sarcopenia were defined as a skeletal muscle index of less than -2 standard deviations of the mean value for Japanese young adults, as defined previously.

Results: Calf circumference was positively correlated with appendicular skeletal muscle (r = 0.81 in men, r = 0.73 in women) and skeletal muscle index (r = 0.80 in men, r = 0.69 in women). In receiver operating characteristic analysis, the optimal calf circumference cut-off values for predicting sarcopenia were 34 cm (sensitivity 88%, specificity 91%) in men and 33 cm (sensitivity 76%, specificity 73%) in women.

Conclusions: Calf circumference was positively correlated with appendicular skeletal muscle mass and skeletal muscle index, and could be used as a surrogate marker of muscle mass for diagnosing sarcopenia. The suggested cut-off values of calf circumference for predicting low muscle mass are <34 cm in men and <33 cm in women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 969-976.

(C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd