Abstract：
Sarcopenia is more common in the elderly and causes adverse outcomes with increased morbidity and mortality. This prospective cohort study assessed the association of sarcopenia risk with the severity of COVID-19 at the time of admission and during hospitalisation and the length of hospital stay. Two hundred patients (aged ≥ 60 years) who were hospitalised for COVID-19 were enrolled using consecutive sampling between 29 December 2020 and 20 May 2021. The sarcopenia score of the patients was assessed using the Strength, Assistance in walking, Rising from a chair, Climbing stairs, and Falls questionnaire. The severity of COVID-19 was determined using the modified National Early Warning Score (m-NEWS) system for 2019 n-CoV-infected patients at admission (T1), day three (T2) and at discharge (T3). Data were analysed using SPSS, version 22 and STATA, version 14. Of the 165 patients included, thirty four (20·6 %) were at risk of sarcopenia. The length of hospital stay was slightly longer in patients with sarcopenia risk, but the difference was not significant (P = 0·600). The adjusted OR of respiratory rate (RR) > 20 /min at T1 for the sarcopenia risk group was 6·7-times higher than that for the non-sarcopenic group (P = 0·002). According to generalised estimating equations, after adjusting for confounding factors, the m-NEWS score was 5·6 units higher in patients at risk of sarcopenia (P < 0·001). Sarcopenia risk could exacerbate COVID-19 severity and increase RR at admission, as well as the need for oxygen therapy at discharge.
摘要：
肌肉减少症在老年人中更常见，并导致不良后果，发病率和死亡率增加。这项前瞻性队列研究评估了入院时和住院期间肌肉减少症风险与COVID-19严重程度以及住院时间的关系。在2020年12月29日至2021年5月20日期间，使用连续抽样方法招募了200名因COVID-19住院的患者（年龄≥60岁）。使用强度评估患者的肌少症评分，帮助行走，从椅子上升起，爬楼梯,和瀑布问卷。COVID-19的严重程度是使用改良的国家早期预警评分（m-NEWS）系统确定的2019年n-CoV感染患者入院时（T1），第三天（T2）和出院时（T3）。使用SPSS分析数据，版本22和STATA，版本14。在包括的165名患者中，34例（20·6%）存在少肌症的风险。患有肌少症风险的患者的住院时间稍长，差异无统计学意义(P=0·600)。肌肉减少危险组T1时呼吸频率（RR）>20/min的校正OR值是非肌肉减少组的6·7倍（P=0·002）。根据广义估计方程，在对混杂因素进行调整后，在存在少肌症风险的患者中,m-NEWS评分高出5·6个单位(P<0·001).肌肉减少症风险可能会加剧COVID-19的严重程度并增加入院时的RR，以及出院时需要氧疗。
