Effect of Resistance Training in the Treatment of Pre-Sarcopenia or Sarcopenia and Pre-Frailty or Frailty in Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies

Abstract Background: Resistance training (RT) is considered as an effective method to increase muscle strength and physical performance in elderly people. Methods: A search from the earliest record up to and including June 2019 was carried out using the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. The search strategy employed combined the terms related to the population (e.g. ‘sarcopenia’, ‘frailty’) with terms for the intervention (e.g. ‘resistance training’, ‘strength training’). Results: 11 studies including 2691 subjects were included in our meta-analysis (aged 64-98). Training duration ranged from 8 to 48 weeks and intensity up to 80% of 1-RM. According to the meta-analyses, RT had statistically significant effect on all the measures except handgrip strength. In handgrip strength Effect size (ES) was 0.58 (95 % CI: - 0.10 to 1.26) p = 0.076 with the moderate heterogeneity (I 2 = 58.6%). ES in legs strength was 0.52 (95 % CI 0.11 to 0.92) p = 0.022, I 2 = 42.0 %. The biggest ES was in TUG test where ES was 0.90 (95 % CI 0.19 to 1.60) p = 0.022, however, there was a high heterogeneity I 2 = 89.6. The high ES was found also in FFM 0.69 (95 % CI 0.17 to 1.20) p = 0.025, and gait speed 0.41 (95 % CI 0.11 to 0.72) p = 0.017. In both cases, there was small heterogeneity I 2 = 13.2 % respective 38.3 %. The overall ES was estimated 0.67 (95 % CI 0.40 to 0.93) p <0.001. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity was high I 2 = 78.1 %. Conclusion: RT interventions in pre-frail, frail, pre-sarcopenic and sarcopenic older adults, provided evidence that RT has positive effects on most of the outcome measurements included in the current revision except handgrip strength.