Call for papers - Sarcopenia in older adults

Guest Editors

Satoshi Katano, RPT, PhD, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Japan
Serdar Ozkok, MD, Istanbul University, Türkiye
Konstantinos Prokopidis, BSc, MSc, MRes, University of Liverpool, UK
Akio Shimizu, PhD, Mie University, Japan

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 24 June 2025

BMC Geriatrics is calling for submissions to our Collection on Sarcopenia in older adults.

This Collection calls upon interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange and we encourage submissions that employ diverse research methodologies, including clinical trials, observational studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. As the aging population continues to grow, it is vital that we further our understanding of sarcopenia in order to be able to address the systemic health connections, reduce prevalence, develop informed health policies and promote the functional independence of older people.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Satoshi Katano, RPT, PhD, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Japan

Dr Satoshi Katano is the Chief Physical Therapist at Sapporo Medical University Hospital's Division of Rehabilitation. With a PhD in Physical Therapy, he specializes in cardiac and cardiovascular rehabilitation. Dr Katano's research focuses on exercise physiology, physical activity assessment, and skeletal muscle physiology in cardiac patients, particularly the elderly. He has published extensively on sarcopenia, osteoporosis, frailty, and nutritional status and clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure. Dr Katano is actively involved in several academic societies, including the Japanese Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation and the European Society of Cardiology. His work continues to advance patient care and rehabilitation practices in cardiovascular medicine.

Serdar Ozkok, MD, Istanbul University, Türkiye

Serdar Ozkok is a Geriatrics and Internal Medicine specialist, and currently works as an Associate Professor in Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty in Istanbul, Türkiye. Apart from academical background and ongoing works, they have clinical experience on both outpatient and inpatient Geriatric clinics and palliative care services. Dr Ozkok's areas of interest include sarcopenia, malnutrition, polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use, frailty, osteoporosis, diabetes management, and comprehensive geriatric assessment. Serdar Ozkok is an active member of European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) and various international projects related to Geriatrics, including PROmoting GeRiAtric Medicine in countries where it is still eMergING (PROGRAMMING) COST Action 21122.

Konstantinos Prokopidis, BSc, MSc, MRes, University of Liverpool, UK

Konstantinos Prokopidis is a PhD candidate in Musculoskeletal Biology at the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool. He graduated from Imperial College London with an MRes in Clinical Research and holds a BSc and MSc in Human Nutrition. Konstantinos' PhD research focuses on plasma and faecal metabolites present in patients with heart failure & sarcopenia, aiming to identify biomarkers that could be targeted by pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.

Akio Shimizu, PhD, Mie University, Japan

Dr Akio Shimizu is a Research Associate at Mie University in Japan. With extensive experience in geriatric healthcare and clinical nutrition, Dr Shimizu has focused his research on aging-related conditions, including sarcopenia. His work aims to improve the quality of life for older adults through innovative interventions and comprehensive healthcare strategies.

About the Collection

BMC Geriatrics is calling for submissions to our Collection on Sarcopenia in older adults.

Sarcopenia – a condition associated with a gradual, progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and functionality – presents a growing challenge in geriatric healthcare. The pathological mechanisms are unclear, although risk factors such as age, gender, and physical activity have been well-described in the literature. Sarcopenia is thought to be a comorbid disease and research suggests it is highly prevalent in individuals with cardiovascular disease, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease as well as many other age-associated conditions. Whilst sarcopenia is not solely associated with older adults, it is known to be more prevalent in this population and can adversely impact quality of life, independence, overall health, and frailty.

Although interest in sarcopenia is growing, the lack of standardized definition and diagnostic criteria present significant barriers to advancing the field. As consensus on classification and cut-off points has not yet been reached it is difficult to identify the prevalence of the condition – researchers suggest that 10% to 27% of older adults develop sarcopenia, with higher rates found in hospital inpatients and nursing home residents.

With a growing aging population, it is imperative that scientists explore the complex mechanisms underpinning the musculoskeletal changes associated with aging and gain a greater understanding of the etiopathogenesis.

In order to improve our understanding of the impact of sarcopenia in older adults, BMC Geriatrics is launching a collection with the aim of collating original research and insights into various aspects of sarcopenia. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Pathophysiology and biological mechanisms of sarcopenia
Assessment and diagnostic factors
Risk factors, specifically in relation to older adults
Potential interventions and treatment strategies, including nutritional support and pharmacological approaches
The relationship between sarcopenia and physical activity
Complications associated with providing healthcare, including within both primary and residential care
The impact of sarcopenia on mental health and wellbeing

This Collection calls upon interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange and we encourage submissions that employ diverse research methodologies, including clinical trials, observational studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. As the aging population continues to grow, it is vital that we further our understanding of sarcopenia in order to be able to address the systemic health connections, reduce prevalence, develop informed health policies and promote the functional independence of older people.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Sarcopenia in older adults" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.