The Association between Polypharmacy, Low Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index, and Physical Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: In response to the rapidly growing elderly population, geriatric syndromes such as frailty, polypharmacy, and sarcopenia have gained significant attention due to their impact on aging-related health outcomes. To prevent functional decline, it is crucial to understand the relationship between physical performance and other potential confounding factors. This study aims to investigate how polypharmacy and other factors relate to physical performance. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 445 participants aged over 20, surveyed via questionnaire. Polypharmacy was defined as the daily use of 8 or more pills. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and physical performance was measured via the Time-Up-and-Go (TUG) and five times Sit-to-Stand (5xSTS) tests. RESULTS: The average age of participants was 64.22 years, with 11.0% on polypharmacy. The mean appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, TUG test, and 5xSTS test were 7.40 kg/m2, 8.29 seconds, and 9.33 seconds, respectively. Both physical performance tests correlated positively with age, low education, and polypharmacy and negatively with appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. Polypharmacy, low muscle mass, and lower educational levels were associated with poorer physical performance. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of early prevention strategies to address polypharmacy, muscle loss, and low education, all of which are potentially modifiable risk factors. Poorer physical performance was linked to polypharmacy, low muscle mass, and lower educational levels, suggesting a need for additional research into these contributing risk factors.