Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41606789›Full record

ArticleJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2026

The Clinical Impact of Sarcopenia and Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly Patients: An Analysis Using Muscle Ultrasound.

Thomas Fraccalini, Laura Santos Ribeiro, Andrea Trogolo, Beatrice Tarozzo, Valerio Piras, Julia Michelin Vecchini, Rouslan Senkeev, Oksana Sukhova, Luciano Cardinale, Giuseppe Maina and 13 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Thomas FraccaliniDepartment of Medical and Oncology, Division of Geriatrics Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Laura Santos RibeiroDepartment of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Andrea TrogoloDivision of Geriatrics Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Beatrice TarozzoUniversity Guglielmo Marconi, Rome, Italy.
Valerio PirasDepartment of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Julia Michelin VecchiniDepartment of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Rouslan SenkeevDepartment of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Oksana SukhovaIndependent General Practitioner and Emergency Physician, Turin, Italy.
Luciano CardinaleRadiology Unit, Turin, Italy.
Giuseppe MainaDepartment of Psychiatry, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Salvatore Di GioiaSan Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Davide MinnitiSan Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Truce MassimilianoDepartment of Psychiatry, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Binello ElisaDepartment of Medical and Oncology, Division of Geriatrics Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Finiguerra IvanaSan Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Roberta VacchelliSan Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Fustamante EldaDepartment of Medical and Oncology, Division of Geriatrics Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Romano GianfrancoDepartment of Medical and Oncology, Division of Geriatrics Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Turja RealdDepartment of Medical and Oncology, Division of Geriatrics Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Valerio RicciDepartment of Psychiatry, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Alessandro MaraschiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, University College London Hospitals, University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street, London, UK.
Thomas RobertsUniversity College London Medical School, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0505-7747
Giovanni VolpicelliDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Division of Emergency Medicine, Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSarcopenia and delirium are two highly prevalent clinical syndromes among hospitalized elderly patients, both independently associated with adverse outcomes such as increased risk of falls, disability and mortality. Although a correlation between sarcopenia and delirium has been previously reported, past studies have often relied on less reliable surrogate markers for sarcopenia, leading to potential inaccuracies in diagnosis and assessment. This study aims to address these limitations by utilizing a more precise and reliable diagnostic tool for sarcopenia, specifically, muscle ultrasound (US) to measure the quadriceps femoris muscle and its pennation angle, to accurately evaluate the correlation between sarcopenia and delirium in acutely admitted geriatric patients.

methodsWe used muscle US to measure sarcopenia with reliable markers, specifically the Ultrasound Sarcopenia Index (USSI). This index evaluates the ratio between vastus lateralis thickness and fascicle length (L/f), offering a detailed view of muscle structure that is not affected by sex or body size.

resultsIn 194 patients (mean age 86.5 years; 46.4% women; 81.4% with delirium), USSI correlated with MMSE (r = -0.619, p < 0.001), 4AT (r = 0.844, p < 0.001), ADL/IADL (r ≈ -0.32, p < 0.001), BMI, grip strength and muscle thickness (all p < 0.001). Women had higher USSI and worse cognitive/frailty scores; patterns were consistent across sexes.

conclusionOur findings are expected to support the implementation of more targeted assessments and interventions, emphasizing the crucial role of accurate sarcopenia diagnosis in improving outcomes for elderly patients and highlighting its interconnectedness with delirium in comprehensive geriatric care.

Indexed as

DeliriumMuscle, SkeletalSarcopeniaAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHospitalizationHumansMaleUltrasonographydeliriumelderlygeriatric patientsmuscle ultrasoundsarcopeniaUltrasound Sarcopenia Indexvastus lateralis

Identifiers

PMID41606789
PMCPMC12852054

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.