Muscle mass measurements in hip fracture patients and control general population depending on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device used: The General Electric Lunar and Hologic systems

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of sarcopenia, an independent risk factor for fragility fractures, is high in geriatric hip fracture patients. We aim to compare patients with hip fractures to the general population using different dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices – General Electric (GE) Lunar and Hologic. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data of patients diagnosed with osteoporotic hip fractures. At our institute, 252 patients with hip fractures were measured with the GE Lunar DXA. The control group included 252 matched individuals from a general population dataset whose data were measured with the Hologic DXA; controls were selected using nearest-neighbor propensity score matching. Measurements included appendicular lean mass (ALM), bone mineral density, and subsequent rates of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. RESULTS: The BMD T-score was significantly lower in patients with hip fractures than in matched controls (−2.7 vs. −2.1, respectively; P < 0.001). However, mean lean body mass of the arm was significantly greater in the hip fractures group compared to the matched control groups (4.092 kg vs. 3.869 kg, respectively; P = 0.024). Additionally, mean lean body mass of the leg was similar between groups (11.565 kg vs. 11.986 kg, respectively; P = 0.084). ALM/height(2) and subsequent sarcopenia rates were not different between groups (hip fractures and 6.257 kg/m(2) and 38.5%; matched controls, 6.198 kg/m(2) and 33.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite experiencing hip fractures, muscle mass measurements and sarcopenia prevalence were similar between the groups. Muscle mass measurements for evaluating sarcopenia present significant discrepancies according to the DXA used.