In the prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter study, 100 patients who were clinically diagnosed with sarcopenia were assigned to either a home-based exercise group or a control group. The home-based training program included exercises with gradually increasing intensity comprising posture, stretching and upper- and lower-extremity muscle-strengthening exercises, balance and coordination exercises, and gait training. Before and 3 months after the exercise program, all the patients were evaluated. The 6-min walking test and Berg Balance Scale scores increased significantly after 3 months in the home-based exercise group compared with the controls. There was also a significant decrease in timed up and go test scores and a significant improvement in quality of life in the exercise group compared with the control group. Our findings indicated that a home-based exercise program can have a positive effect on physical function, balance, and quality of life in patients with sarcopenia.

The aim of the study is to estimate the association between spinal cord injuries related medical factors and subjective sleep disturbance in individuals with short-duration chronic spinal cord injury. Seventy-nine individuals with traumatic spinal cord injuries were included in our study and evaluated using the Beck Depression Index for severity of depressive symptoms, Short-Form Health Survey for quality of life, Douleur Neuropathique 4 score for neuropathic pain severity, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for subjective sleep disturbances in a tertiary rehabilitation center. Associated subjective sleep disturbance factors were predicted using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. Subjective sleep disturbance frequency was 74.7 %, and significantly higher in individuals with paraplegia (P = 0.025, odds ratio, 9.74, 95% confidence interval, 1.21–78.14). Intermittent nighttime catheterization frequency and neuropathic pain severity levels were significantly higher in individuals with subjective sleep disturbance, and quality of life and depressive symptoms were significantly worse in individuals with subjective sleep disturbance. Poor-sleep quality was associated significantly with shorter spinal cord injury duration. The strongest associated factors for sleep disturbance were paraplegic involvement, severity of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Index score), and quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey general health perceptions score) (odds ratio: 95% confidence interval, 29.75; 1.66–534.36, 1.47; 1.11–1.95, and 0.91; 0.85–0.97, respectively). Our study suggests that paraplegic involvement, low quality of life, and depressive mood are related to sleep disturbance in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury.

Background: Sarcopenia, defined by reduced muscle strength and low muscle mass, is associated with chronic diseases, malnutrition, and growth retardation in children. Computed tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard for assessing skeletal muscle mass. However, pediatric reference values for abdominal skeletal muscle area (aSMA) at lumbar vertebral levels remain limited and vary among populations. Objective: To establish age- and sex-specific reference values and percentile curves for aSMA, including psoas muscle area (PMA), paraspinal muscle area (PSMA), and total skeletal muscle area (TSMA), at L3 vertebral body, L3-L4 and L4-L5 intervertebral disc levels in Turkish children. Methods: This retrospective study included 2166 Turkish children aged 0–18 years who underwent abdominal CT scans for acute indications. aSMA measurements were obtained at three lumbar levels, and percentile curves were calculated using the Lambda-Mu-Sigma method. SD intervals of ±2 were determined for each parameter. Children with chronic diseases or abnormal muscle morphology were excluded. Results: Of the participants, 62.1% were boys and 37.9% were girls, with a median age of 10 years (IQR: 5–15). Age- and sex-specific percentile values (3rd–97th) and ±2 SD ranges were established for PMA, PSMA, and TSMA. At the L3–L4 intervertebral disc level, the PMA (50th percentile) ranged from 3.3–15.4 cm² in girls and 3.3–27.2 cm² in boys. Comparative analysis with other populations showed significant inter-population differences. Conclusion: We establish level-specific (L3, L3–L4, L4–L5) normative charts—3rd–97th percentiles and ±2 SD limits—for PMA, PSMA, and TSMA in Turkish children aged 0–18 years, providing population-specific benchmarks that standardize abdominal skeletal muscle assessment and support early identification of low muscle area.