Stroke and Sarcopenia

Purpose of Review To evaluate recent scientific research studies related to the changes in skeletal muscle after stroke and the presence of sarcopenia in stroke survivors to establish its incidence and effects on function. Recent Findings Recently published findings on stroke-related sarcopenia are limited. This might be due to changes in the consensus definition of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia in stroke patients is estimated at 14 to 54%. The presence of sarcopenia at the time of a stroke can lead to worse recovery and functional outcomes. Summary The presence of sarcopenia prior to a stroke may be more common than suspected and can lead to worse functional recovery. Clinicians should be aware of this to better identify and treat stroke-related sarcopenia. Future research should focus on larger population studies to more accurately establish the correlation between stroke and sarcopenia.