Association among the Prevalence of Sarcopenia without Obesity, Nonsarcopenic Obesity, Sarcopenic Obesity, and Metabolic Syndrome in Cancer Survivors: Based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Phase angle as a potential tool to evaluate chronic inflammatory state and predict quality of life deterioration in women with breast cancer and obesity: A narrative review

The interaction between lifestyle--defined more specifically in health care as the personal exposome--and its implications on obesity and breast cancer development highlights the critical role of body composition and inflammation in these patients. There is clear evidence that the personal and internal exposome triggers biochemical, inflammatory, and metabolic reprogramming, which might favor ectopic lipid accumulation within the body, such as muscles. Additionally, the presence of excessive adipose tissue exacerbates these alterations in the internal exposome, resulting in cell damage and modifying body composition. Understanding the nexus between these lifestyle-induced exposome modifications, such as inflammation, and the resultant changes in body composition is crucial to assess the association with breast cancer progression and treatment responses. Various techniques can be used to evaluate body composition; one of those most used currently is bioelectrical impedance analysis. This analysis provides parameters, including phase angle (PhA), by which cellular health and metabolic activity can be assessed. In addition, PhA is a potential indicator of nutritional status and disease prognosis, as it has been linked to survival and quality of life in patients with cancer. Therefore, PhA might be used in daily oncology practice to implement an accurate nutritional intervention, reducing side effects and complications of oncology management, and improving quality of life during treatment and survival, even in patients with breast cancer with obesity or overweight. The aim of this review is to analyze the existing information on the current application of PhA in patients with breast cancer and its potential use as a tool to assess inflammatory response, identify malnutrition, and predict the deterioration of quality of life so that it could be proposed as an early indicator for nutritional interventions in this group of patients.

Current status of research on sarcopenia in post-treatment cancer survivors in Japan:A narrative review

Sarcopenia is prevalent among 11-25% of adult cancer survivors, depending on the cancer type, although the available data on post-treatment survivors in Japan are limited. If cancer patients develop cachexia, they may experience sustained weight loss as a result, ultimately leading to sarcopenia. Conversely, some patients experience post-treatment weight gain, resulting in sarcopenic obesity. Both sarcopenia and obesity elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality; therefore, the importance of sarcopenia prevention and management is undeniable. The Guidelines for Exercise for Cancer Survivors recommend continued physical activity. Recent studies have reported the effectiveness of multimodal interventions, combining pharmacological, nutritional, and exercise approaches, necessitating multidisciplinary care for post-treatment sarcopenia. Innovative health interventions using mobile devices have also gained attention. However, studies on sarcopenia in post-treatment cancer survivors, especially those regarding exercise interventions, remain scarce in Japan, primarily due to limited insurance coverage for such post-treatment interventions and workforce challenges. It is clear that some cancer survivors have sarcopenia, which can lead to worse survival and secondary illness. While the benefits of exercise are clear, a comprehensive approach to sarcopenia is a further challenge for the future.

Sex-Specific Effects of Dietary Factors on Sarcopenic Obesity in Korean Elderly: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to compare the dietary factors related to sarcopenia and obesity status in 5458 elderly individuals (2391 men and 3076 women) aged ≥65 years from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2019). Participants were categorized into normal, sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity groups. Sarcopenic obesity showed a higher prevalence of diabetes and lower HDL cholesterol levels compared to obesity. Sarcopenic obesity exhibited a lower total KHEI score and lower adequacy, including meat/fish/eggs/beans, than normal or obesity. In women, sarcopenic obesity scored lower than obesity on the total KHEI, adequacy for most foods, and balance of energy intake, and lower than sarcopenia on the adequacy of breakfast and milk/milk products. Sarcopenic obesity showed no significant difference in energy intake compared to sarcopenia, and less physical activity compared to sarcopenia and obesity, with a BMI/waist circumference comparable to that of obesity. Low total KHEI scores and scores for meat/fish/eggs/beans were most closely associated with sarcopenia in men and with sarcopenic obesity in women. In conclusion, low dietary quality and inadequate protein-rich foods are possibly associated with the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in elderly Koreans, especially in women. Adequate energy intake and dietary diversity may be effective in managing sarcopenic obesity.

Observation of covid-19 safety protocols by persons with chronic health conditions in Ghana: The influence of health belief model

Covid-19 has brought distortion to health delivery globally and made it challenging to seek healthcare, but persons with chronic health conditions who require continuous medical attention have suffered the most as all attention at the medical front was directed to covid-19 related issues. The study explores how the five primary constructs of the health belief model were used to drive adherence to covid-19 preventive protocols among persons with chronic health conditions in Ghana. A quantitative technique was used for data collection and analyses. SPSS version 21 and AMOS version 21 were used to analyze data. Hierarchical regression from SPSS were used to examine the influences of health belief model constructs on chronic patients' adherence to covid-19 preventive protocols. The study's finding indicates that perceived susceptibility, severity, and self-efficacy influence adherence to covid-19 protocols among persons with chronic conditions. While perceived benefits and perceived barriers though they have negative and positive influences on adherence, they were not statistically significant. Perceived self-efficacy has a negative influence on the perceived barrier and a positive influence on perceived benefit. Gender has positive influence on Perceived susceptibility. The study's outcome indicated that persons with chronic health conditions need special arrangements to ease their access to healthcare during outbreaks. Hence, public health professionals need to educate chronic patients on how to practice the covid-19 preventive protocols and support them with covid-19 preventive materials to increase their self-efficacy to adhere to covid-19 protocols.

Prevalence and risk factors of stroke-related sarcopenia at the subacute stage: A case control study

Purpose

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of stroke-related sarcopenia (SRS) in hospitalized patients receiving rehabilitation treatment.

Methods

Approximately, 259 patients with stroke that satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were consecutively recruited between June 2020 and July 2022. The epidemiologic data, history, clinical data, and measured data of the skeletal muscle index were collected. The patients were divided into the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia group for comparison and analysis with the univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

SRS was presented in 121 (46.7%) patients with a mean age of 59.6 ± 9.7 years, including 42 women and 79 men. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following parameters to be significant (p < 0.05) risk factors for SRS: college degree or above (OR, 2.1, 95% CI, 1.1–4.1), ICU stay (OR, 1.7, 95% CI, 1.06–2.8), pneumonia (OR, 1.9, 9% CI, 1.1–3.6), walking ability (OR, 2.6, 95% CI, 1.5–4.6), cognitive impairment (OR, 1.8, 95%, 1.1–2.9), aphasia (OR, 2.1, 95% CI, 1.2–3.5), nasogastric feeding (OR, 3.7, 95%, 1.9–7.3), age (OR, 1.04, 95% CI, 1–1.1), and creatine kinase (OR, 1.1, 95% CI,0.9–1.2).

Conclusions

Older age, light weight, severer clinical conditions, cognitive impairment, and significantly decreased levels of albumin, RAG, creatinine, uric acid, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, prealbumin, iron, and creatine kinase are more significantly present in patients with SRS compared with those without SRS.

Sarcopenic obesity in early breast cancer patients with metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Aim: The importance of sarcopenic obesity (SO) in malignancy has recently been recognized. The authors aimed to investigate the clinical and body composition data of early-stage breast cancer (BC) patients by focusing on the components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and SO. Methods: In this cross-sectional study with early-stage BC patients, the clinical and laboratory results were evaluated for diagnosing MetS. Bioimpedance analysis and muscle radiation attenuation (Hounsfield unit average calculation [HUAC]) using acquired computed tomography images were used to assess SO. Results: The age at diagnosis, BMI, visceral fat ratio, hemoglobin A1c and carcinoembryonic antigen levels in patients with MetS were significantly higher (p < 0.05). A cutoff value of 39.4 Hounsfield units was significantly related to MetS with 76.5% sensitivity and 62% specificity. The mean HUAC in patients with MetS (36.9) was significantly lower than in those without MetS (41.4; p = 0.017). Conclusion: HUAC value predicted SO in early-stage BC patients with MetS.