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Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the SARC-F to assess sarcopenia: methodological report from European Union Geriatric Medicine Society Sarcopenia Special Interest Group

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Abstract

Sarcopenia is a well-identified process of aging known to cause functional deterioration, falls, fractures, frailty and mortality. Considering the global aging population, sarcopenia assessment has become a public health priority because its early detection is expected to prevent or decrease adverse outcomes through commencement of therapeutic measures. Therefore, the diagnosis of sarcopenia mediated by effective screening is expected to become particularly important. Being very practical with clearly demonstrated value to predict sarcopenia-related adverse outcomes, SARC-F questionnaire stands as one of the best tools to evaluate sarcopenia in every day practice. SARC-F has originally been created in English. Considering the variety of languages in Europe, it seems very valid to adapt and validate this tool in different European languages. This report is written to explain the details of the final consensus methodology suggested for SARC-F validation, thereby guiding and helping the research teams in their studies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Alfonso Cruz-Jentoft (EUGMS sarcopenia SIG leader) for his efforts in the study coordination; Dr. Fatih Tufan and Dr. Halim Isseven for their valuable contributions in study design.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey

    Gulistan Bahat, Ozlem Yilmaz & Mehmet Akif Karan

  2. Department of Public Health, Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey

    Meryem Merve Oren

  3. Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

    Jean Yves Reginster & Charlotte Beaudart

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Geriatric Rehabilitation, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

    Olivier Bruyère

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  1. Gulistan Bahat
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  2. Ozlem Yilmaz
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Correspondence to Gulistan Bahat.

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Bahat, G., Yilmaz, O., Oren, M.M. et al. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the SARC-F to assess sarcopenia: methodological report from European Union Geriatric Medicine Society Sarcopenia Special Interest Group. Eur Geriatr Med 9, 23–28 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-017-0003-5

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