Clinical Relevance of Ultrasound-based Intramuscular Fat Infiltration Assessment in Hospitalized Older Adults (FATUS-OLD)

Sponsor
Nantes University Hospital
Study ID
NCT07411547
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Muscle Fat Infiltration
  • Physical Performance Decline in Older Adults
  • Sarcopenia

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
75 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Study Details

Sarcopenia in older adults is associated not only with loss of muscle mass but also with deterioration of muscle quality, particularly intramuscular fat infiltration. While muscle mass is commonly assessed, muscle quality remains insufficiently explored in routine clinical practice. The FATUS-OLD study aims to evaluate the clinical relevance of a novel ultrasound-based multiparametric approach to assess intramuscular fat infiltration and muscle volume in hospitalized older adults undergoing rehabilitation. The main hypothesis is that higher intramuscular fat infiltration at baseline is associated with poorer recovery of physical performance at 6 months, independently of muscle volume. This non-invasive, rapid, and radiation-free imaging approach could improve sarcopenia phenotyping and help identify new prognostic biomarkers for clinical follow-up and future interventional trials.

Key Dates

First listed
Feb 17, 2026
Start date
May 21, 2026
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Nov 21, 2028
Completion
Nov 21, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
115 participants (estimated)

Arms

  • Arm: Observational cohort
    All participants undergo standardized clinical assessments and ultrasound-based muscle evaluations as part of routine rehabilitation follow-up.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score [ Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months ]

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