Use of the SARC-F Score as an Aid in Fragility Fractures Prevention^[*]

Abstract

Objective The present study aimed to relate the strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls (SARC-F) score with the presence or absence of fragility fracture in the population over 60 years of age.

Methods The risk of sarcopenia was determined through the application of the SARC-F questionnaire, and the patients were divided into 2 groups, according to the occurrence or not of fragility fracture (n = 100).

Results Thirty-two cases of distal radius fractures and eighteen cases of proximal femur fractures were identified. A higher score on the SARC-F is determinant between having or not a fragility fracture, estimating that for each point in the score there is a 70% increase in the chance of a patient having a fracture, regardless of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion There was a direct correlation between a higher score on the SARC-F and an increase in the chance of fragility fracture.

Keywords

risk factors - osteoporotic fractures - osteogenesis imperfecta - osteoporosis - sarcopenia

Financial Support

There was no financial support from public, commercial, or non-profit sources.

^* Work developed at the Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Hospital Municipal São José, Joinville, SC, Brazil.

Publication History

Received: 26 January 2022

Accepted: 26 July 2022

Article published online:
18 October 2022

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