Diagnosis and Treatment of Frailty, Locomotive Syndrome, and Sarcopenia for Extending Healthy Lifespan

What is “Frailty”, “Locomotive Syndrome”, “Sarcopenia and Dynapenia” ?

“Frailty” is characterized by a decline in motor and cognitive functions with age, which can lead to dependency on nursing care.

In “Locomotor Syndrome”, muscle strength, balance, and mobility are affected by musculoskeletal disorders in muscles, bones, and joints, which leads to the possibility of bedridden.

“Sarcopenia” refers to a state in which physical ability declines due to the simultaneous loss of muscle mass and muscle strength. In addition, “Dynapenia,” in which muscle strength declines even when muscle mass is normal, also leads to a decrease in lifespan and quality of life.

These pathologies are closely related to each other (Fig. 1).

At our hospital, we use a body composition analyzer (Fig. 2: InBody Japan Co., Ltd.) to measure muscle mass, body fat, and other factors, as well as evaluate muscle strength, to diagnose dynapenia and sarcopenia.

In addition, we have found that new metabolic indicators such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs)¹, which can be measured using nutritional indicators and a dedicated measuring device (Fig. 3: AGEs measuring device (Celista Co., Ltd.)), are related to these pathological conditions. Using digital devices and IoT technology, we are searching for diagnostic and predictive biomarkers and developing exercise and diet therapies.

1. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs): Substances formed when proteins and sugars are heated, and are considered to be the causative agent of aging. ↩︎