Ultrasound imaging analysis and clinical application for the assessment of sarcopenia in patients with atherosclerosis

• Grant number: 23/11712-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 08, 2023
• End date: January 21, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Paula Schmidt Azevedo Gaiolla
• Grantee: David do Nascimento Pereira
• Supervisor: Carolyn A. Greig
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Birmingham, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/00225-4 - Association between severity of peripheral arterial disease and conditions related to muscle mass and function in patients with atherosclerosis, BP.IC

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is one of the most common forms of vascular disease and it has relatively slow progression in older adults. As a condition of large vessel atherosclerosis, Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a disease where atherosclerotic occlusions develop in one or more locations causing ischemia with exercise or even at rest. Sarcopenia is also a common condition with aging and it is described as a geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive muscle wasting. However, there has been no consensus definition for making the diagnosis of sarcopenia and this condition remains underdiagnosed in PAD patients. Ultrasound imaging represents a common and affordable method for examining muscle properties. Nevertheless, many of the relevant measurement techniques for the analysis of muscle mass have numerous challenges that often make them unsuitable for routine use in PAD patients. For that reason, we intend to make the Ultrasound Imaging method for sarcopenia assessment more elucidated and easy by analyzing scan results and elaborating criterias for the interpretation of ultrasound sarcopenia assessment in patients with atherosclerosis. Therefore, we consider that opportunities exist to improve training in ultrasound assessment with different equipment and conditions to set acquired images analysis and to underpin a literature review for publication. (AU)