The effect of sarcopenia on depressive mood during geriatric rehabilitation remains unclear. This study investigated the potential influence of sarcopenia on depressive mood among geriatric patients in a rehabilitation setting.

This observational cohort study enrolled 204 patients aged ≥65 years (mean: 78.8±7.6 years, 45.1% women) admitted to a rehabilitation unit between April 2020 and July 2021. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment (AWGS2019) criteria, which include low handgrip strength and muscle mass.

Depressive mood was defined as a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale score of ≥6 points. We applied logistic regression models to examine the influence of sarcopenia on depressive mood at discharge.

We observed sarcopenia in 58.3% of patients. The logistic regression model showed that sarcopenia negatively influenced depressive mood at discharge (odds ratio, 5.460; 95% confidence interval, 2.344-13.415).

Of the 68 patients without depressive mood at admission, those with sarcopenia (n=31) had a significantly higher incidence of depressive mood at discharge compared with patients without sarcopenia (n=37) (41.9% vs. 16.2%, p=0.037). Sarcopenia at admission negatively affected depressive mood at discharge from geriatric rehabilitation.

Thus, early and routine assessment of sarcopenia is vital for patients undergoing geriatric rehabilitation.