Difference Between Cachexia and Sarcopenia

Thekey difference在恶病质和肌肉减少症之间缓存被定义为由于潜在疾病引起的体重减轻，而肌肉减少症的定义为肌肉质量的损失和与衰老相关的功能。

Cachexia and sarcopenia are muscle wasting disorders that mainly affect cancer patients and the ageing population, respectively. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Cachexia is muscle loss due to an underlying illness. Both cachexia and sarcopenia are driven byinflammation. Therefore, cachexia involves muscle wasting and weakness as a result of disease-related inflammation, while sarcopenia involves muscle wasting and weakness as a result of age-related inflammation. They also involve oxidative stress. Both syndromes lead to frailty.

1.Overview and Key Difference
2.What is Cachexia
3.What is Sarcopenia
4.Similarities Between Cachexia and Sarcopenia
5.Side by Side Comparison – Cachexia vs Sarcopenia in Tabular Form
6.概括

What is Cachexia?

Cachexia is a metabolic syndrome which is characterized by the loss of muscle and fat (adipose tissue) mass due to an underlying illness. In simple words, cachexia refers to weight loss due to an underlying disease such as sarcopenia. Moreover, it can be associated with cancer and other chronic diseases. Cachexia is mainly due to disease-related inflammation. Cachexia involves the release of inflammatory cytokines due to diseases, especially due to cancer.

Difference Between Cachexia and Sarcopenia

Figure 01: Cachexia

The prominent clinical feature of cachexia is weight loss in adults. Furthermore, cachexia patients experience appetite loss. They also experience fatigue and a poor overall quality of life and fail to perform regular daily activities. Cancer cachexia patients show a significant decrease in physical function. They may not be able to walk even a short distance.

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is a multifactorial geriatric syndrome which is characterized by the loss of muscle and muscle weakness. The Greek meaning of sarcopenia is ‘poverty of flesh’. It is an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Similar to cachexia, sarcopenia is also driven by inflammation due to ageing. Moreover, sarcopenia involves oxidative stress. Sarcopenia leads to frailty.

图02：肌肉减少症

When diagnosing sarcopenia, it is necessary to document the low muscle mass with low muscle strength and low physical performance. Since sarcopenia is due to ageing, this syndrome is frequently seen among elderly people. Most importantly, elderly people with cancer are at a higher risk of sarcopenia.

What are the Similarities Between Cachexia and Sarcopenia?

Cachexia can be an underlying condition of sarcopenia.
In both syndromes, the loss of muscle mass happens.
Both cachexia and sarcopenia are driven by inflammation.
Moreover, they are associated with oxidative stress.
恶病质和肌肉减少症均导致脆弱。
They are associated with poor performance status.

What is the Difference Between Cachexia and Sarcopenia?

恶病质是一种复杂的代谢综合征，其特征是由于疾病相关炎症而导致脂肪和肌肉质量丧失。肌肉减少症是一种多因素的老年综合征，其特征是由于年龄相关的炎症而导致肌肉质量丧失。因此，恶病质涉及由于疾病相关的炎症引起的体重减轻，而肌肉减少症涉及与年龄相关的炎症引起的体重减轻。因此，这是恶病质和肌肉减少症之间的关键区别。

The below info-graphic shows more differences between cachexia and sarcopenia in tabular form.

概括– Cachexia vs Sarcopenia

病原体和肌肉减少症是两种引起肌肉浪费的疾病。恶病质是一种代谢综合征，其特征是由于与慢性疾病有关的炎症引起的肌肉和脂肪组织的丧失。肌肉减少症是一种多因素的老年综合征，其特征是由于年龄相关的炎症而导致的肌肉质量普遍丧失。因此，两者均由炎症和氧化应激驱动。两种综合征都导致身体性能差和体重减轻。因此，这是恶病质和肌肉减少症之间差异的摘要。

Reference:

1. Morishita, Shinichiro, et al. “Understanding Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Physical Exercise in Patients with Cancer.” IntechOpen, IntechOpen, 30 Aug. 2017,Available here.
2. Ali，Sumbul和Jose M Garcia。“肌肉减少症，卡希克西亚和衰老：诊断，机制和治疗选择 - 迷你审查。”老年医学，美国国家医学图书馆，2014年，Available here.