Association between sarcopenia and mortality in healthy older people

Aim: To evaluate the association between loss of fat‐free mass and mortality among older people. Methods: Information of healthy Chilean older people evaluated by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry was used, identifying those who died in a period of 12 years. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify mortality predictors. Life tables were constructed calculating survival using predictive variables. Results: Information from 1413 participants aged 74.3 ± 5.6 years (1001 women), was obtained. During the follow‐up (median 1594 days), 221 participants died. The Cox model identified age and appendicular fat‐free mass as predictors of death (hazard ratios 1.08 and 0.85, respectively). According to life tables, participants in the lower sex‐specific quartile for appendicular fat‐free mass/height had significantly higher mortality. This association was significant among participants aged over 73 years. Conclusion: A low fat‐free mass was predictive of mortality in older people.