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Volume 14
Issue 21
10.3390/jcm14217751
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and Clinical Correlates

by
Joan M. Nolla
*,
Lidia Valencia-Muntalà
,
Laura Berbel-Arcobé
,
Diego Benavent
,
Paola Vidal-Montal
,
Martí Aguilar-Coll
,
Montserrat Roig-Kim
,
Javier Narváez
and
Carmen Gómez-Vaquero
Department of Rheumatology, IDIBELL-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(21), 7751; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14217751 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 1 October 2025 / Revised: 24 October 2025 / Accepted: 29 October 2025 / Published: 31 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Immunology & Rheumatology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia is now recognized as a frequent and disabling accompaniment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although structured screening approaches are still rarely applied in everyday practice. The SARC-F questionnaire offers a simple, validated, patient-reported tool for sarcopenia screening, but its performance in RA remains largely unexplored. We aimed to evaluate the burden of sarcopenia risk, defined by abnormal SARC-F scores (≥4), and its clinical correlates in RA compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Methods: We conducted an observational case–control study including 275 RA patients (69.5% women) aged >50 years and 300 matched controls. Clinical, laboratory, and patient-reported outcomes were recorded. Sarcopenia risk was assessed using SARC-F (cutoff ≥ 4). RA patients also underwent grip strength and gait speed testing. Multivariable regression analyses were used to identify independent correlates of abnormal SARC-F results. Results: A SARC-F score ≥ 4 was observed in 26.9% of RA patients. Compared with controls, the burden was significantly higher in women with RA (34.0% vs. 24.7%, p < 0.05) but not in men (10.7% vs. 15.0%). Within the RA cohort, abnormal SARC-F was independently associated with female sex (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.24–7.95) and higher RAPID3 scores (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.18–1.33). More than half of RA patients exhibited low grip strength, with partial overlap with SARC-F findings. Conclusions: The SARC-F questionnaire revealed a notable burden of sarcopenia risk in RA, particularly among women. Combined with simple grip strength testing, it offers a feasible, low-cost approach to case finding, directly applicable in routine rheumatology practice. Incorporating this strategy may enhance recognition and management of sarcopenia in RA.
Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis; sarcopenia; SARC-F; sex differences; patient-reported outcomes rheumatoid arthritis; sarcopenia; SARC-F; sex differences; patient-reported outcomes

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nolla, J.M.; Valencia-Muntalà, L.; Berbel-Arcobé, L.; Benavent, D.; Vidal-Montal, P.; Aguilar-Coll, M.; Roig-Kim, M.; Narváez, J.; Gómez-Vaquero, C. SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and Clinical Correlates. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 7751. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14217751

AMA Style

Nolla JM, Valencia-Muntalà L, Berbel-Arcobé L, Benavent D, Vidal-Montal P, Aguilar-Coll M, Roig-Kim M, Narváez J, Gómez-Vaquero C. SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and Clinical Correlates. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(21):7751. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14217751

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nolla, Joan M., Lidia Valencia-Muntalà, Laura Berbel-Arcobé, Diego Benavent, Paola Vidal-Montal, Martí Aguilar-Coll, Montserrat Roig-Kim, Javier Narváez, and Carmen Gómez-Vaquero. 2025. "SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and Clinical Correlates" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 21: 7751. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14217751

APA Style

Nolla, J. M., Valencia-Muntalà, L., Berbel-Arcobé, L., Benavent, D., Vidal-Montal, P., Aguilar-Coll, M., Roig-Kim, M., Narváez, J., & Gómez-Vaquero, C. (2025). SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and Clinical Correlates. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(21), 7751. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14217751

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