Normative data of ultrasound quadriceps rectus femoris geometric values. The ECOSARC-2 Study - 18/06/25

Doi : 10.1016/j.jnha.2025.100608

Ester López Jiménez ^a, Paola Reinoso Párraga ^b, Alfonso González Ramírez ^c, Marta Neira Álvarez ^d, Adriana Abizanda Saro ^e, Marisa Fernández González de la Riva ^f, Cristina Alonso Bouzón ^g,^h, Victoriano Chavero Carrasco ⁱ, Gema Montemayor Galán ^j, Juan Rodríguez Solís ^k, Rubén Alcantud Córcoles ^a,^h, Raquel Ramírez Martín ^b, Carmen de Pablos Hernández ^c, Fabricio Zambom-Ferraresi ^f,^h, Brian Dax Vásquez ^d, Pedro Luis Sagüillo González ^l, Ignacio Morón Merchante ^j,^m, Rafael García Molina ^a,^h, Rocío Menéndez Colino ^b, Nicolás Martínez Velilla ^f,^h, Fernando Andrés Pretel ⁿ, Elena Gómez Jiménez ^a, Marta Sáez Blesa ^a, Elisa Belén Cortés Zamora ^o, Almudena Avendaño Céspedes ^a,^h, Pedro Abizanda ^a,^h,^p,⁎
^a Geriatrics Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, Spain
^b Geriatrics Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Research Institute la Paz (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
^c Geriatrics Department, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Spain
^d Geriatrics Department, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biomédica H.U. Infanta Leonor y H.U. Sureste, Madrid, Spain
^e Centre d´Atenciò Primària Sant Martí de Provençals, Barcelona, Spain
^f Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), Spain
^g Geriatrics Department, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid, Spain
^h CIBER de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
ⁱ Centro de Salud de Valdefuentes, Cáceres, Spain
^j Centro de Salud Universitario Goya, Madrid, Spain
^k Geriatrics Department, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, Spain
^l Centro de Salud Arroyo de la Luz, Cáceres, Spain
^m Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
ⁿ Statistics Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Spain
^o Escuela de Enfermería de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
^p Facultad de Medicina de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain

^⁎Corresponding author.

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Abstract

Objectives

To describe geometric muscle ultrasound normative values of Quadriceps Rectus Femoris (QRF) at mid-thigh in Spanish community-dwelling older adults. Secondary objectives included evaluating the associations between ultrasound measurements and physical function, muscle strength, frailty, and dependency in basic activities of daily living.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Outpatient clinics of Geriatric Departments at seven University Hospitals and three Primary care settings of Spain.

Participants

424 community-dwelling persons ≥70 years old.

Measurements

Ultrasound measurements were acquired using a Clarius® L7 HD3 probe. QRF thickness (QRFT), QRF area (QRFA), subcutaneous adipose thickness (SAT), total mid-thigh thickness (TTT), and pennation angle (PA) were calculated. Normative values are provided, and associations with comorbidity, dependency, strength, frailty and physical function are described.

Results

Mean age was 81.5 years (range 70−99), 66.7% were female. Mean Barthel index was 93 (SD 11), and mean FRAIL score was 1.1 (1.2). Mean SPPB was 8.7 (SD 2.9) and mean grip strength was 20.7 (8.0). Median values of QRFT, QRFA, SAT, TTT, and PA for women and men were 14.2 / 16.1 mm, 5.4 / 6.4 cm^{2Yeung S.S.Y., Reijnierse E.M., Pham V.K., Trappenburg M.C., Lim W.K., Meskers C.G.M., y al. Sarcopenia and its association with falls and fractures in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2019 ; 10 : 485-500 [cross-ref]

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias}, 15.1 / 9.2 mm, 41.1 / 40.1, and 10.0 / 10.6 respectively. Functional variables were strongly associated with QRFT, QRFA, and TTT in men, and PA with SPPB in both sexes.

Conclusions

The ECOSARC-2 study provides normative values of geometric mid-thigh muscle ultrasound parameters in community-dwelling older adults. These values are essential for determining sex-specific cut-off points for conditions such as sarcopenia, frailty, malnutrition, and for predicting relevant outcomes.

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Keywords : Ultrasonography, Muscle, Normative values, Sarcopenia, Older adults

Esquema

Introduction

Methods

Training of the sonographers

Ultrasound geometric muscle acquisition

Statistics

Results

Discussion

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Ethics statement

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process

Funding

Exportación

Vol 29 - N° 8

Artículo 100608- août 2025 Regresar al número

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Normative data of ultrasound quadriceps rectus femoris geometric values. The ECOSARC-2 Study - 18/06/25

Abstract

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Measurements

Results

Conclusions

Esquema

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