The Department of Endocrinology, 
South Asian Working Action Group on SARCOpenia (SWAG-SARCO) – A consensus document.
- Department of Internal Medicine, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India.
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Non Communicable Disease Unit, The Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
- Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Endocrinology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Department of Geriatric Medicine AIIMS New Delhi, India.
- Department of Medicine, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Lahore, Pakistan.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Lahore, Pakistan.
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.
- Flacq Hospital, Central Flacq, Mauritius.
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Sawai Man Singh Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
- Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology Metabolism and Diabetes, Kabul University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kabul, Afghanistan.
- Geriatric Division of Internal Medicine Department, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia.
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Grande International Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
- Diabetes and Endocrine Unit, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, 10, Sri Lanka.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Maldives.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital, Thimpu, Bhutan.
- Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital, Karnal, Haryana, India.
Osteoporosis and sarcopenia Vol. 8 · Issue 2 · pp. 35-57
PMID 35832416 DOI 10.1016/j.afos.2022.04.001
Cite This Article
Minakshi Dhar, Nitin Kapoor, Ketut Suastika, Mohammad E Khamseh, Shahjada Selim, Vijay Kumar, Syed Abbas Raza, Umal Azmat, Monika Pathania, Yovan Parikshat Rai Mahadeb, Sunny Singhal, Mohammad Wali Naseri, Igp Suka Aryana, Subarna Dhoj Thapa, Jubbin Jacob, Noel Somasundaram, Ali Latheef, Guru Prasad Dhakal, Sanjay Kalra. South Asian Working Action Group on SARCOpenia (SWAG-SARCO) – A consensus document. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia. 2022;8(2):35-57. doi:10.1016/j.afos.2022.04.001
Abstract
The South Asian population is rapidly ageing and sarcopenia is likely to become a huge burden in this region if proper action is not taken in time. Several sarcopenia guidelines are available, from the western world and from East Asia. However, these guidelines are not fully relevant for the South Asian healthcare ecosystem. South Asia is ethnically, culturally, and phenotypically unique. Additionally, the region is seeing an increase in non-communicable lifestyle disease and obesity. Both these conditions can lead to sarcopenia. However, secondary sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are either not dealt with in detail or are missing in other guidelines. Hence, we present a consensus on the screening, diagnosis and management of sarcopenia, which addresses the gaps in the current guidelines. This South Asian consensus gives equal importance to muscle function, muscle strength, and muscle mass; provides cost-effective clinical and easy to implement solutions; highlights secondary sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity; lists commonly used biomarkers; reminds us that osteo-arthro-muscular triad should be seen as a single entity to address sarcopenia; stresses on prevention over treatment; and prioritizes non-pharmacological over pharmacological management. As literature is scarce from this region, the authors call for more South Asian research guided interventions.
Keywords
- Body composition
- Guidelines
- Sarcopenia
- Sarcopenic obesity
- Secondary sarcopenia
- South Asian
