Poor muscle health in older patients needing rehabilitation
EMPOWER-GR is a consortium of university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), academic hospital (Amsterdam UMC), geriatric rehabilitation care provider (Cordaan) and industry (Danone Nutricia Research) partners in the Netherlands. The project assessed 1) sarcopenia knowledge among patients and healthcare professionals; 2) implementation of sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment in clinical practice; and 3) feasibility and effect of resistance training and protein supplementation in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients.
Medical and societal costs for recovery of older patients, including rehabilitation, are high. Additionally, one year mortality rates after hip fracture and other acute events in Europe are substantial. Sarcopenia (poor muscle status) is prevalent in around one fourth of older patients staying in a rehabilitation centre and the disease negatively affects recovery. Yet, sarcopenia remains largely undiagnosed and untreated in practice.
EMPOWER-GR is therefore of great importance to assess how sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment (with resistance exercise training and protein supplementation) could be implemented in clinical practice and what the possible barriers are. To do this, the project includes surveys in both patients and healthcare professionals as well as an intervention study to test the feasibility and effect of training and protein supplementation in older patients in a rehabilitation center.
The results show that knowledge of sarcopenia is very low in older patients, but high in healthcare professionals. While patients are motivated to start treatment including resistance training and protein supplementation, this is not yet implemented in clinical practice because of poor diagnostic strategies. Increased knowledge, clear responsibilities among healthcare professionals, and better access to tools and protocols are needed for clinical implementation of sarcopenia. Results of the intervention study will be available in September 2023.
