Author(s): LIU, Z., SAWADA, S., NAITO, H., MACHIDA, S., Institution: JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1086

INTRODUCTION:
In 2025, the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) revised its diagnostic consensus and aligned it with the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS), subsequently defining sarcopenia as the coexistence of low muscle strength and mass [1]. Balance ability is closely related to muscle strength and mass [2]. The one-leg standing test with eyes open (OLST) is a widely used measure of balance that does not require specialized equipment or large space, thereby making it feasible for community screening [3, 4]. However, the association between OLST and sarcopenia and the discriminatory ability of the former remain unclear. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between the OLST and sarcopenia and evaluated the effectiveness of the OLST as a screening tool for sarcopenia in older Japanese adults.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study included 545 community-dwelling Japanese adults aged 65 years and older (mean age 74.7 ± 4.9 years; range 65–91; 152 men and 393 women). Sarcopenia was defined according to the AWGS 2025 criteria as the coexistence of low handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). SMI was calculated as appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by height squared and assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 770). OLST was measured as the duration of a single-leg stance using the participant’s preferred leg. The association between OLST and sarcopenia was examined using binary logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. To examine the discriminatory ability of OLST for sarcopenia, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted and optimal cut-off values were determined using the Youden index.
RESULTS:
The binary logistic regression revealed that OLST time was significantly associated with sarcopenia, and those with longer OLST time were less likely to have sarcopenia (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97–0.99; p < 0.001). In ROC analyses, OLST exhibited significant discrimination for sarcopenia, with areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.79 and 0.67 in men (p = 0.004) and women (p = 0.009), respectively. The optimal OLST cut-off times for discriminating sarcopenia were 31 and 29 seconds in men (sensitivity: 0.89, specificity: 0.64) and women (sensitivity: 0.62, specificity: 0.68), respectively.
CONCLUSION:
OLST could be used as a practical screening tool for sarcopenia in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. An OLST time of approximately 30 seconds or less may indicate elevated sarcopenia risk and warrant further assessment.

References:
1. Chen LK, et al. Nat Aging, 2025. 5(11): 2164-2175.
2. Tabara Y, et al. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2024. 36(1): 7.
3. Liu Z, et al. Healthcare. 2024. 12(23): 2378.
4. Araujo CG, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2022. 56(17): 975-980.