Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Its Associated Factors in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Upper Egypt

Osteoarthritis (OA) and sarcopenia are two highly prevalent, interconnected geriatric syndromes that often coexist, leading to a condition termed "osteosarcopenia". Globally, the pooled prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with knee OA is estimated at approximately 25.07%, significantly higher than in the general population.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Osteoarthritis; Sarcopenia

Detailed Description

Chronic inflammation, joint pain, and reduced physical activity in OA patients create a vicious cycle that accelerates muscle mass loss and functional decline. While international data is robust, Egyptian epidemiological data remains limited. Recent studies in Egypt have identified a high risk of sarcopenia among older adults with fragility fractures and a prevalence of 17.7% in nursing home residents. However, targeted data on the OA population in Egypt is still lacking. Current management in Egyptian primary care centers primarily focuses on symptomatic relief of OA through analgesics and physical therapy. Sarcopenia often remains underdiagnosed because routine screening tools, such as the SARC-F questionnaire or Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), are not yet integrated into standard family medicine protocols. This oversight leads to increased frailty and poorer surgical outcomes for patients requiring joint replacement. In the family medicine practice, identifying sarcopenia early is vital for holistic care. Understanding the local prevalence and risk factors-such as Vitamin D deficiency, sedentary behavior, and low protein intake-is essential to tailor interventions. This research aims to provide the evidentiary basis for incorporating sarcopenia screening into primary care OA management, ultimately improving patient mobility and quality of life

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 224

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Esraa M.H Ibrahim; Phone Number: +201112969235; Email: esraa.m.hosny@aun.edu.eg

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Asyut, Egypt
    • Assiut University Trauma Hospital
    • Contact: Esraa M.H Ibrahim; Phone Number: +201112969235; Email: esraa.m.hosny@aun.edu.eg

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patients aged 40 years and older, diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, who are attending the Assiut University Trauma Hospital.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 40 years and older diagnosed with knee OA based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.
• Patients who are willing to participate and provide informed written consent.Exclusion Criteria:
• Inflammatory arthritis: patients with rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to avoid confusion with inflammatory muscle wasting.
• Physical Limitations: amputees or those with severe physical deformities preventing gait speed tests or handgrip measurement.
• Patients with cardiac pacemakers or implanted electronic devices (as these interfere with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)).
• Severe Comorbidities: end-stage renal or hepatic disease, advanced malignancy or cachexia.
• Severe neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Stroke with paralysis) that directly affect muscle mass and mobility.
• Prolonged use of systemic corticosteroids (which cause secondary sarcopenia)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Knee Osteoarthritis Patients; Adults aged 40 years and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria attending the Assiut University Trauma Hospital.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Prevalence of sarcopenia in knee osteoarthritis patients	Prevalence of OA patients who meet the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia (low muscle mass, strength, and physical performance) according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) revised consensus.	at baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nutritional Risk Assessment via Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)	Evaluation of nutritional status as a factor associated with sarcopenia. The MUST score is a five-step screening tool with a total score ranging from 0 (low risk) to 2 or more (high risk).	Baseline
The Quality of Life Factor (EQ-5D Index)	Assessment of the impact of sarcopenia and OA on quality of life. The 5 dimensions (Mobility, Self-care, Usual activities, Pain/discomfort, Anxiety/depression)	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 27, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 27, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Muscular Atrophy; Atrophy; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Osteoarthritis; Sarcopenia
• Other Study ID Numbers: Sarcopenia_OA_Assiut

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No