Сибирский научный медицинский журнал · Jan 29, 2026
Sarcopenia in respiratory diseases
By Сергеева ВА, Bulgakova SV
According to the current consensus published by the European Working Group in 2018, sarcopenia is considered not only as a geriatric syndrome caused by age-related degeneration of muscles, which are manifested by a decrease in strength, mass and functionality. A secondary form of pathology is also distinguished, which is a consequence of a wide range of diseases and conditions, which can develop regardless of age. Many respiratory diseases are currently known as possible causes of secondary sarcopenia, in which catabolic processes in muscle tissue were previously interpreted within the framework of systemic pathogenic effects. In 2021, a Japanese working group of researchers identified a separate phenotype – respiratory sarcopenia, which is associated with a decrease in strength, mass and functionality of the respiratory muscles, observed in a significant number of patients with various diseases, primarily of the respiratory tract, and with aging. The development of sarcopenia (both primary and secondary) has an important prognostic value, as a rule, it is associated with a severe course, a worse response to therapy, and unfavorable outcomes. The aim of the review was to accumulate and systematize the data of international open-access scientific publications since 2019 on sarcopenia and diagnostic approaches for its assessment in the most common respiratory diseases. The most relevant clinical and observational data are presented in the article. It was concluded that striated muscle damage in a wide range of respiratory tract diseases increases the risk of adverse patient outcomes, negatively affects the duration of hospitalization, and entails an increase in the costs of the healthcare system. Currently, a pressing problem in clinical medicine is the timely diagnosis of sarcopenia in conditions of comorbidity and the development of complex therapy programs, taking into account the involvement of muscle tissue and its significant role in long-term outcomes for patients.