Frailty, age, and treatment effect of surgical coronary revascularization in ischemic cardiomyopathy: a post hoc analysis of the STICHES trial.

Frailty is common among older patients with heart failure (HF). The efficacy of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on the risk of mortality among frail patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and HF is uncertain, and whether frailty burden modifies the treatment benefits of CABG among these patients is unknown. We performed a post hoc analysis of the STICHES trial, a randomized trial of CABG with medical therapy vs medical therapy alone among participants with ischemic cardiomyopathy with ejection fraction ≤ 35%. Baseline frailty was assessed through a Rockwood Frailty Index (FI), and based on FI cut-offs from prior HF studies, participants with FI ≥ 0.311 were classified as more frail, and those with FI < 0.311 were classified as less frail. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model with multiplicative interaction terms was constructed to evaluate whether frailty status modified the treatment effect of CABG on mortality in the overall trial cohort and among those < 60 vs ≥ 60 years of age. Of 1187 participants (12.4% female, 2.6% Black, median FI = 0.33 [IQR 0.27-0.39]), 678 were characterized as more frail. Frailty burden did not modify the efficacy of CABG on the risk of all-cause death in the overall cohort (Pint CABG × frailty = 0.2). In age stratified analysis, Baseline frailty status did not modify the treatment effect of CABG on the risk of all-cause mortality among younger (< 60 years, Pint CABG × frailty = 0.2) as well as older participants (≥60 years, Pint CABG × frailty = 0.6). In this post hoc analysis of the STICHES trial, baseline frailty status did not modify the efficacy of CABG in the overall cohort as well as among younger or older participants. Frailty alone should not be used as a criterion to determine the utilization of CABG among patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Steroid Profiling and Circadian Cortisol Secretion in Patients with Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion: A Cross-Sectional Study.

CONTEXT: Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) is diagnosed based on post-dexamethasone cortisol>1.8 mcg/dL. Scarce evidence exists on steroid circadian secretion and steroid metabolome in MACS. OBJECTIVE: To characterize 24-hour (h) urine steroid metabolome in patients with MACS and determine circadian differences in urine steroid profiling and cortisol concentrations in patients with MACS versus referent subjects. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, 2018-2023. SETTING: Referral center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with MACS and age-, sex-, BMI-, and menopausal status-matched referent subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Urine was collected over 24h period as separate day- and night-time collections. High-resolution mass spectrometry assay was used to measure 25 steroids. A subgroup of patients and referent subjects were admitted for every 2h serum measurements of free and total cortisol. OUTCOMES: Steroids, sums, and ratios. RESULTS: Patients with MACS (n=72) had lower mcg/24h median androgens (2084 vs 3283, P<0.001), higher glucocorticoids (15754 vs 12936, P<0.001), and higher glucocorticoid/androgen ratio (8.7 vs 3.9, P<0.001), compared to referent subjects. Patients also had lower steroid day/night ratios compared to referent subjects, reflecting a higher relative nocturnal steroid production in MACS. In a subgroup of 12 patients with MACS and 10 referent subjects, the 24-hour area under the curves for total and free cortisol were similar. However, evening mean total (5.3 vs 4.0 mcg/dL, P=0.056) and free (0.2 vs 0.1 mcg/dL, P=0.035) cortisol was higher in patients vs referent subjects. CONCLUSION: Patients with MACS demonstrate an abnormal urine steroid metabolome, with a high glucocorticoid to androgen ratio, and a higher nocturnal steroid production.

Clinical and imaging presentations are associated with function in incidental adrenocortical adenomas: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess whether clinical and imaging characteristics are associated with the hormonal subtype, growth, and adrenalectomy for incidental adrenal cortical adenomas (ACAs). DESIGN: This is a single-center cohort study. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients with incidental ACA were diagnosed between 2000 and 2016. RESULTS: Of the 1516 patients with incidental ACA (median age 59 years, 62% women), 699 (46%) had nonfunctioning adenomas (NFAs), 482 (31%) had mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS), 62 (4%) had primary aldosteronism (PA), 39 (3%) had Cushing syndrome, 18 (1%) had PA and MACS, and 226 (15%) had incomplete work-up. Age, sex, tumor size, and tumor laterality, but not unenhanced computed tomography Hounsfield units (HU), were associated with hormonal subtypes. In a multivariable analysis, ≥1 cm growth was associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.8 per 5-year increase, P = .0047) and longer imaging follow-up (OR = 1.2 per year, P < .0001). Adrenalectomy was performed in 355 (23%) patients, including 38% of MACS and 15% of NFA. Adrenalectomy for NFA and MACS was more common in younger patients (OR = 0.79 per 5-year increase, P = .002), larger initial tumor size (OR = 2.3 per 1 cm increase, P < .0001), ≥1 cm growth (OR = 15.3, P < .0001), and higher postdexamethasone cortisol (OR = 6.6 for >5 vs <1.8 µg/dL, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Age, sex, tumor size, and laterality were associated with ACA hormonal subtype and can guide diagnosis and management. Tumor growth was more common with younger age and longer follow-up. Unenhanced HU did not predict hormonal subtype or growth. Adrenalectomy for MACS and NFA was mainly performed in younger patients with larger tumor size, growth, and elevated postdexamethasone cortisol.

Risk of dementia and psychiatric or sleep disorders after diagnosis of adrenal adenomas: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Adrenal adenomas are commonly encountered in clinical practice. To date, population-based data on their impact on cognition, mental health, and sleep are lacking. We aimed to study possible associations between adrenal adenomas and dementia, psychiatric or sleep disorders. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study, Olmsted County, MN, 1995-2017. METHODS: Patients with adrenal adenoma and absent overt hormone excess were age- and sex-matched 1:1 to a referent person without adrenal adenoma. Outcomes were baseline and incident diagnoses of dementia, psychiatric or sleep disorders, assessed using ICD codes. RESULTS: Of 1004 patients with adrenal adenomas, 582 (58%) were women, and median age at diagnosis was 63 years. At baseline, and after adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, and tobacco use, patients with adenoma had higher odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 1.3, 95% CI, 1.1-1.6), anxiety (aOR: 1.4, 95% CI, 1.1-1.8), and substance abuse (aOR: 2.4, 95% CI, 1.7-3.4) compared to referents. During a median follow-up of 6.8 years, and after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, BMI, tobacco, and substance abuse, patients demonstrated a higher risk of psychiatric and sleep disorders [adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)]: depression [1.7 (1.3-2.2)], anxiety [1.4, CI (1.1-1.7)], insomnia [1.4 (1.0-1.9)], sleep-related breathing disorders [1.5 (1.1-1.9)], hypersomnias [2.1 (1.0-4.2)], parasomnias [2.1 (1.0-4.2)], and sleep-related movement disorders [1.5 (1.0-2.1)], but not dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with adenomas demonstrate a higher incidence of psychiatric and sleep disorders, possibly due to the underlying subtle increase in cortisol secretion.

High prevalence of frailty in patients with adrenal adenomas and adrenocortical hormone excess: a cross-sectional multi-centre study with prospective enrolment.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty, characterized by multi-system decline, increases vulnerability to adverse health outcomes and can be measured using Frailty Index (FI). We aimed to assess the prevalence of frailty in patients with adrenal disorders (based on hormonal sub-type) and examine association between FI and performance-based measures of physical function. DESIGN: Multi-centre, cross-sectional study (March 2019-August 2022). METHODS: Adult patients with adrenal disorders (non-functioning adrenal adenomas [NFA], mild autonomous cortisol secretion [MACS], Cushing syndrome [CS], primary aldosteronism [PA]) and referent subjects without adrenal disorders completed a questionnaire encompassing 47 health variables (comorbidities, symptoms, daily living activities). FI was calculated as the average score of all variables and frailty defined as FI ≥ 0.25. Physical function was assessed with hand grip, timed up-and-go test, chair rising test, 6-minute walk test, and gait speed. RESULTS: Compared to referent subjects (n = 89), patients with adrenal disorders (n = 520) showed increased age, sex, and body mass index-adjusted prevalence of frailty (CS [odds ratio-OR 19.2, 95% confidence interval-CI 6.7-70], MACS [OR 12.5, 95% CI 4.8-42.9], PA [OR 8.4, 95% CI 2.9-30.4], NFA [OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.7-15.9]). Prevalence of frailty was similar to referent subjects when post-dexamethasone cortisol was <28 nmol/L and was higher when post-dexamethasone cortisol was 28-50 nmol/L (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.7-16.5). FI correlated with all measures of physical function (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Whilst frailty prevalence was highest in patients with adrenocortical hormone excess, even patients with NFA demonstrated an increased prevalence compared to the referent population. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the impact of various management strategies on frailty.

Glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome following surgical remission of endogenous hypercortisolism: a longitudinal observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome (GWS) is a scarcely studied phenomenon that complicates the recovery following surgical remission of hypercortisolism. We aimed to characterize the presence and trajectory of glucocorticoid withdrawal symptoms in the postoperative period and to determine presurgical predictors of GWS severity. DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study. METHODS: Glucocorticoid withdrawal symptoms were prospectively evaluated weekly for the first 12 weeks following surgical remission of hypercortisolism. Quality of life (CushingQoL and Short-Form-36) and muscle function (hand grip strength and sit-to-stand test) were assessed at the baseline and at 12 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Prevalent symptoms were myalgias and arthralgias (50%), fatigue (45%), weakness (34%), sleep disturbance (29%), and mood changes (19%). Most symptoms persisted, while myalgias, arthralgias, and weakness worsened during weeks 5-12 postoperatively. At 12 weeks after surgery, normative hand grip strength was weaker than at baseline (mean Z-score delta -0.37, P = .009), while normative sit-to-stand test performance improved (mean Z-score delta 0.50, P = .013). Short-Form-36 Physical Component Summary score worsened (mean delta -2.6, P = .015), but CushingQoL score improved (mean delta 7.8, P < .001) at 12 weeks compared to baseline. Cushing syndrome (CS) clinical severity was predictive of postoperative GWS symptomology. CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoid withdrawal symptoms are prevalent and persistent following surgical remission of hypercortisolism with baseline CS clinical severity predictive of postoperative GWS symptom burden. Differential changes observed in muscle function and quality of life in the early postoperative period may reflect the competing influences of GWS and recovery from hypercortisolism.

Polypharmacy and Optimization of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Heart Failure: The GUIDE-IT Trial.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy is common among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, its impact on the use of optimal guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is not well established. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the association between polypharmacy and odds of receiving optimal GDMT over time among patients with HFrEF. METHODS: The authors conducted a post hoc analysis of the GUIDE-IT (Guiding Evidence-Based Therapy Using Biomarker Intensified Treatment) trial. Polypharmacy was defined as receiving ≥5 medications (excluding HFrEF GDMT) at baseline. The outcome of interest was optimal triple therapy GDMT (concurrent administration of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone blocker and beta-blocker at 50% of the target dose and a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist at any dose) achieved over the 12-month follow-up. Multivariable adjusted mixed-effect logistic regression models with multiplicative interaction terms (time × polypharmacy) were constructed to evaluate how polypharmacy at baseline modified the odds of achieving optimal GDMT on follow-up. RESULTS: The study included 891 participants with HFrEF. The median number of non-GDMT medications at baseline was 4 (IQR: 3-6), with 414 (46.5%) prescribed ≥5 and identified as being on polypharmacy. The proportion of participants who achieved optimal GDMT at the end of the 12-month follow-up was lower with vs without polypharmacy at baseline (15% vs 19%, respectively). In adjusted mixed models, the odds of achieving optimal GDMT over time were modified by baseline polypharmacy status (P for interaction < 0.001). Patients without polypharmacy at baseline had increased odds of achieving GDMT (OR: 1.16 [95% CI: 1.12-1.21] per 1-month increase; P < 0.001) but not patients with polypharmacy (OR: 1.01 [95% CI: 0.96-1.06)] per 1-month increase). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HFrEF who are on non-GDMT polypharmacy have lower odds of achieving optimal GDMT on follow-up.

The metabolic phenotype of patients with primary aldosteronism: impact of subtype and sex - a multicenter-study of 3566 Caucasian and Asian subjects.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that primary aldosteronism (PA) is associated with several features of the metabolic syndrome, in particular with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Whether these manifestations are primarily linked to aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) or bilateral idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in metabolic parameters between APA and IHA patients and to assess the impact of treatment on these clinical characteristics. Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study including 3566 patients with APA or IHA of Caucasian and Asian origin. We compared the prevalence of metabolic disorders between APA and IHA patients at the time of diagnosis and 1-year post-intervention, with special references to sex differences. Furthermore, correlations between metabolic parameters and plasma aldosterone, renin, or plasma cortisol levels after 1 mg dexamethasone (DST) were performed. Results: As expected, APA patients were characterized by higher plasma aldosterone and lower serum potassium levels. Only female IHA patients demonstrated significantly worse metabolic parameters than age-matched female APA patients, which were associated with lower cortisol levels upon DST. One-year post-intervention, female adrenalectomized patients showed deterioration of their lipid profile, when compared to patients treated with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Plasma aldosterone levels negatively correlated with the BMI only in APA patients. Conclusions: Metabolic alterations appear more prominent in women with IHA. Although IHA patients have worse metabolic profiles, a correlation with cortisol autonomy is documented only in APAs, suggesting an uncoupling of cortisol action from metabolic traits in IHA patients.

Cardiometabolic Outcomes and Mortality in Patients with Adrenal Adenomas in a Population-based Setting.

CONTEXT: While adrenal adenomas have been linked with cardiovascular morbidity in convenience samples of patients from specialized referral centers, large-scale population-based data are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and incidence of cardiometabolic disease and assess mortality in a population-based cohort of patients with adrenal adenomas. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA. PATIENTS: Patients diagnosed with adrenal adenomas without overt hormone excess and age- and sex-matched referent subjects without adrenal adenomas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence, incidence of cardiometabolic outcomes, mortality. RESULTS: (Adrenal adenomas were diagnosed in 1004 patients (58% women, median age 63 years) from 1/01/1995 to 12/31/2017. At baseline, patients with adrenal adenomas were more likely to have hypertension [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.96, 95% CI 1.58-2.44], dysglycemia (aOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.33-2.00), peripheral vascular disease (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.32-2.06), heart failure (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.15-2.33), and myocardial infarction (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.02-2.22) compared to referent subjects. During median follow-up of 6.8 years, patients with adrenal adenomas were more likely than referent subjects to develop de novo chronic kidney disease [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.86], cardiac arrhythmia (aHR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08-1.58), peripheral vascular disease (aHR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.55), cardiovascular events (aHR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.73), and venous thromboembolic events (aHR 2.15, 95% CI 1.48-3.13). Adjusted mortality was similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Adrenal adenomas are associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in a population-based cohort.

Risk of bone fractures after the diagnosis of adrenal adenomas: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Several small studies reported increased prevalence and incidence of asymptomatic vertebral fractures in patients with non-functioning adrenal adenomas and adenomas with mild autonomous cortisol secretion. However, the risk of symptomatic fractures at vertebrae, and at other sites remains unknown. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and incidence of symptomatic site-specific fractures in patients with adrenal adenomas. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study, Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, 1995-2017. METHODS: Participants were the patients with adrenal adenoma and age/sex-matched referent subjects. Patients with overt hormone excess were excluded. Main outcomes measures were prevalence and incidence of bone fractures. RESULTS: Of 1004 patients with adrenal adenomas, 582 (58%) were women, and median age at diagnosis was 63 years (20-96). At the time of diagnosis, patients had a higher prevalence of previous fractures than referent subjects (any fracture: 47.9% vs 41.3%, P = 0.003, vertebral fracture: 6.4% vs 3.6%, P = 0.004, combined osteoporotic sites: 16.6% vs 13.3%, P = 0.04). Median duration of follow-up was 6.8 years (range: 0-21.9 years). After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, tobacco use, prior history of fracture, and common causes of secondary osteoporosis, patients with adenoma had hazard ratio of 1.27 (95% CI: 1.07-1.52) for developing a new fracture during follow up when compared to referent subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with adrenal adenomas have higher prevalence of fractures at the time of diagnosis and increased risk to develop new fractures when compared to referent subjects.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Excess Risk for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in South Asians: The Perfect Storm.

BACKGROUND: South Asians are at a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), are diagnosed at relatively younger ages, and exhibit more severe disease phenotypes as compared with other ethnic groups. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying T2D and CVD risk in South Asians are multifactorial and intricately related. METHODS: A narrative review of the pathophysiology of excess risk of T2D and CVD in South Asians. RESULTS: T2D and CVD have shared risk factors that encompass biological factors (early life influences, impaired glucose metabolism, and adverse body composition) as well as behavioral and environmental risk factors (diet, sedentary behavior, tobacco use, and social determinants of health). Genetics and epigenetics also play a role in explaining the increased risk of T2D and CVD among South Asians. Additionally, South Asians harbor several lipid abnormalities including high concentration of small-dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, elevated triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)- cholesterol levels, dysfunctional HDL particles, and elevated lipoprotein(a) that predispose them to CVD. CONCLUSION: In this comprehensive review, we have discussed risk factors that provide insights into the pathophysiology of excess risk of T2D and CVD in South Asians.

Epidemiology of adrenal tumours in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Adrenal tumours are commonly encountered in clinical practice, but epidemiological data mainly originate from referral centres. We aimed to determine incidence, prevalence, and rates of malignancy and hormone excess in patients with adrenal tumours in a standardised geographically well defined population. METHODS: In this retrospective population-based cohort study we assessed the standardised incidence rate of adrenal tumours in all patients with tumours who lived in Olmsted County, MN, USA, from Jan 1, 1995, to Dec 31, 2017. The Rochester Epidemiology Project infrastructure, which links medical records across all health-care providers for the entire population of Olmsted County since 1966, was used to allow researchers to identify individuals with specific diagnoses, surgical interventions, and other procedures, and to locate their medical records, which were then used in the analysis. Incidence rates and prevalence were standardised for age and sex according to the 2010 US Population. FINDINGS: An adrenal tumour was diagnosed in 1287 patients (median age 62 years; 713 (55·4%) were women; and 13 (1·0%) were children). Standardised incidence rates increased from 4·4 (95% CI 0·3-8·6) per 100 000 person-years in 1995 to 47·8 (36·9-58·7) in 2017, mainly because of the incidental discovery of adenomas less than 40 mm in diameter in patients older than 40 years. Prevalence of adrenal tumours in 2017 was 532 per 100 000 inhabitants, ranging from 13 per 100 000 in children (aged <18 years) to 1900 per 100 000 in patients older than 65 years. 111 (8·6%) of 1287 patients were diagnosed with malignancy (96 [7·5%] of whom has metastases), 14 (1·1%) with phaeochromocytoma, and 53 (4·1%) with overt steroid hormone excess. Malignancy was more common in children (62%) versus those older than 18 years (8%; p<0·0001), tumours discovered during cancer-staging or follow-up (43% vs 3% for incidentalomas; p<0·0001), tumours more than 40 mm in diameter (34% vs 6% for tumours <20 mm; p<0·0001), tumours with unenhanced CT attenuation of 30 Hounsfield units or more (20% vs 1% for <20 Hounsfield units; p<·0001), and bilateral masses (16% vs 7% for unilateral, p=0·0004). INTERPRETATION: Adrenal tumour standardised incidence rates increased 10 times from 1995 to 2017. Population-based data revealed lower rates of malignancy, phaeochromocytoma, and overt steroid hormone excess than previously reported. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health.

Frailty in Patients With Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion is Higher Than in Patients with Nonfunctioning Adrenal Tumors.

CONTEXT: Mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) affects up to 50% of patients with adrenal adenomas. Frailty is a syndrome characterized by the loss of physiological reserves and an increase in vulnerability, and it serves as a marker of declining health. OBJECTIVE: To compare frailty in patients with MACS versus patients with nonfunctioning adrenal tumors (NFAT). DESIGN: Retrospective study, 2003-2018. SETTING: Referral center. PATIENTS: Patients >20 years of age with adrenal adenoma and MACS (1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression (DST) of 1.9-5 µg/dL) and NFAT (DST <1.9 µg/dL). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Frailty index (range 0-1), calculated using a 47-variable deficit model. RESULTS: Patients with MACS (n = 168) demonstrated a higher age-, sex-, and body mass index-adjusted prevalence of hypertension (71% vs 60%), cardiac arrhythmias (50% vs 40%), and chronic kidney disease (25% vs 17%), but a lower prevalence of asthma (5% vs 14%) than patients with NFAT (n = 275). Patients with MACS reported more symptoms of weakness (21% vs 11%), falls (7% vs 2%), and sleep difficulty (26% vs 15%) as compared with NFAT. Age-, sex- and BMI-adjusted frailty index was higher in patients with MACS vs patients with NFAT (0.17 vs 0.15; P = 0.009). Using a frailty index cutoff of 0.25, 24% of patients with MACS were frail, versus 18% of patients with NFAT (P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Patients with MACS exhibit a greater burden of comorbid conditions, adverse symptoms, and frailty than patients with NFAT. Future prospective studies are needed to further characterize frailty, examine its responsiveness to adrenalectomy, and assess its influence on health outcomes in patients with MACS.

Drooping shoulders: A rare manifestation of an uncommon disease.

Primary systemic amyloidosis is an uncommon disease which presents with involvement of the kidney, heart, peripheral nervous system and liver. The involvement of skeletal muscles called amyloid myopathy is uncommon. We report a 74-year-old male who presented with progressively drooping shoulders followed by other muscular involvement without other organ involvement as a manifestation of amyloidosis. The patient was managed with melphalan, prednisolone and thalidomide with clinical improvement.

Serum creatinine and cystatin C-based index can be a screening biomarker for sarcopenia in older population.

PURPOSE: Considering the clinical impact of sarcopenia, it would be interesting to get a rapid and sensible screening tool. We conducted a cross-sectional study with the motive to use an index based on serum creatinine and cystatin C to screen sarcopenia in older people in outpatient settings. METHODS: 100 participants above the age of 65 years were recruited from the outpatient department of Geriatric medicine of a tertiary care hospital in India. Muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance were measured by DXA scan, hand-held dynamometer and 4 m gait speed, respectively. Sarcopenia was identified using Asian working group of sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. Serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured for all participants. Serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio and biochemical total body muscle mass index (TBMM) were calculated and its association was checked with sarcopenia. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 53%. Mean serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio was 74.79 ± 24.91. It was not significantly associated with sarcopenia. Mean biochemical TBMM index of participants was 36.40 ± 7.88 (males-38.77 ± 7.72, females-31.22 ± 5.13). The lower value of biochemical TBMM index was significantly associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia (p < 0.01). Cut-off value of 40.9 in males (sensitivity-79.41%; specificity-61.76%) and 32.2 in females (sensitivity-78.95%; specificity-66.67%) was proposed for identification of sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: Out of the two indices, only low biochemical total body muscle mass index is significantly associated with sarcopenia and a value of less than 40.9 in males and 32.2 in females can be used to screen sarcopenia in older people.