SUN-797 - Diagnostic Accuracy of SARC-F Questionnaire in Screening for Sarcopenia Among Adult Filipinos, A Sarcofil Retrospective Study

Background: Sarcopenia is a progressive age-related syndrome characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, leading to adverse clinical outcomes. Early identification using simple screening tools such as the SARC-F (Strength, Assistance with Walking, Rise from Chair, Climb Stairs, and Falls) questionnaire is recommended based in international guidelines. However, data on the diagnostic accuracy of SARC-F among Filipinos, particularly in comparison with Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)- based assessment, remain limited.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the SARC-F questionnaire in detecting sarcopenia among adult Filipinos aged 19 years old and above.

Methods: This was a two-year retrospective diagnostic accuracy study involving adult Filipino patients (≥19 years) who underwent sarcopenia screening at a tertiary hospital from December 2023 to December 2025. The index test was the SARC-F questionnaire using a cutoff score of ≥4. The reference standard was sarcopenia defined by South Asian Working Action Group on SARCOpenia (SWAG-SARCO) criteria, requiring at least two abnormal components among muscle mass (DXA-derived ASM/height2), muscle strength, and physical performance. Diagnostic performance measures, including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and overall accuracy, were calculated.

Results: Among 178 participants, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 46.6%. The SARC-F questionnaire demonstrated low sensitivity (19.3%; 95% CI 11.44 - 29.41) but with high specificity (95.8%; 95% CI 89.57- -98.84%). The positive predictive value was 80.0%, and negative predictive value was 57.6. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 60.1%. Sarcopenia was significantly associated with older age, lower body mass index, and the presence of comorbidities, particularly hypertension and osteoporosis.

Conclusion: The SARC-F questionnaire has high specificity but poor sensitivity for detecting sarcopenia among adult Filipinos. While inadequate as a sole screening tool, it may be useful for identifying individuals who require confirmatory diagnostic testing. Its simplicity and feasibility support its potential role in resource-limited and community-based settings in the Philippines.

Keywords: Sarcopenia; SARC-F; diagnostic accuracy; Filipino; DXA

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