In January 2023, the sarcopenia clinic treated its first patient, who is currently under the care of the clinical staff.

Qatar’s very first sarcopenia clinic has opened in Rumailah Hospital, according to Hamad Medical Corporation.

The clinic is part of the Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care and serves to improve healthcare programmes and services for senior citizens across the country.

The opening of the clinic is a result of a year-long research project to evaluate best practises from around the globe and create a strong programme that will allow HMC to implement tested screening tools and provide suitable treatment options suited to each patient’s requirements. 

It will primarily accept referrals from its Geriatric Department and doctors from across HMC who suggest their patients visit the clinic during the initial stage, the institute noted.

The clinic will collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals, especially in Primary Health Care centres to ensure potential sarcopenia patients are referred for assessment and care as soon as possible.

For those who have been referred, the patient will receive more than two hours for the initial assessment.

A number of widely recognised tests that evaluate a person’s muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance are used to make a diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Once a diagnosis has been made, the patient will receive treatment from physiotherapists and nutritionists to ensure a thorough approach and treatment plan.

What is sarcopenia?

Age-related declines in skeletal muscle mass and physical function are referred to as sarcopenia – a muscle disease.

While individuals start to lose some muscle mass after the age of 40, this process speeds up as people age, especially if poor health and unhealthy lifestyle choices have an impact on physical fitness.

Experts from around the world concur that sarcopenia is a reliable indicator of a number of unfavourable health outcomes, including mortality, frailty, falls, and fractures.

In older hospitalised patients, sarcopenia and frailty are extremely common conditions and are linked to lengthier hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, a higher risk of hospital readmission, and mortality.

Sarcopenia is frequently seen in older adults, but it can also happen earlier in life, particularly in patients who have mobility problems and may spend more time in bed.