Sarcopenia and cognitive impairment are worrisome age and public health-related problems due to the high risk of functional decline, hospitalization and death. Sarcopenia is a muscle disease identified by clinical parameters of low muscle strength and muscle mass which, when added to poor physical performance, characterize severe sarcopenia. Cognitive impairment is the decline in normal functioning of one or more brain functions, affecting the activities of daily living (ADLs) of individuals, and may present as a mild or major cognitive disorder.

To investigate the association of clinical parameters of sarcopenia with cognitive impairment in elderly people.

Cross-sectional study, with 263 elderly people (≥60 years old) users of a public specialized care service. Sociodemographic and clinical variables characterized the sample, and the clinical parameters of sarcopenia (strength, muscle mass and physical performance) were evaluated, respectively, using Handgrip Strength (HGS), calf circumference (CC) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG). The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess cognitive status. Associations were investigated by simple and multiple linear and logistic regressions considering clinical parameters of sarcopenia (independent variables) and cognitive status (dependent variable), adjusted for age, gender, years of schooling, number of medications, nutritional status and functional capacity.

Of the participants with cognitive impairment, 59.6% had low muscle strength. Cognitive status was explained by muscle strength in 21.5%, muscle mass in 12.3% and physical performance in 7.6% in simple linear regression analyses, maintaining strength and muscle mass as explanatory variables of the cognitive state in unadjusted multiple analyzes and only muscle strength when adjusted (OR=0,846; [95%CI: 0,774 – 0,924] p<0,001). Only strength remained significantly associated with cognitive status in the adjusted multiple logistic regression (OR=0.846; [95% CI: 0.774 – 0.924]; p<0.001).

Low muscle strength was the sarcopenia parameter independently associated with cognitive impairment.

This information is useful to pay attention to the probability of cognitive impairment when low muscle strength is identified in older people.