With the increasing number of elderly individuals worldwide, the prevalence of age-related loss of muscle mass, referred to as sarcopenia, is expected to increase. Sarcopenia is a relatively new recognized syndrome, which is thought to affect 13% individuals worldwide, and the significant efforts made by different groups have advanced our understanding of the diagnosis, treatment, and natural history of this condition. However, the challenge is now to standardize its measurement and diagnosis to facilitate research in this area and a greater understanding of this condition and its management between clinicians and researchers. The Global Leadership Initiative on Sarcopenia (GLIS) is at the forefront of an international effort to produce standardized definition of sarcopenia. Setting a definition for sarcopenia entails several considerations and trade-offs. In this critical review, we have addressed key challenges driving the process of standardizing the definition, while delving into future avenues in sarcopenia research. Establishing a clear consensus on the working definition of sarcopenia is essential not only for advancing research in this field but also for assessing the prognostic implications of diagnosing sarcopenia and determining the most suitable treatment for affected patients.

随着全球老年人数量的不断增加，与年龄相关的肌肉质量损失（称为肌肉减少症）的患病率预计将会增加。肌肉减少症是一种相对较新的公认综合征，据信影响全世界 13% 的人，不同团体做出的巨大努力增进了我们对这种疾病的诊断、治疗和自然史的理解。然而，现在的挑战是标准化其测量和诊断，以促进该领域的研究，并让临床医生和研究人员更好地了解这种情况及其管理。肌肉减少症全球领导力倡议 (GLIS) 处于制定肌肉减少症标准化定义的国际努力的最前沿。为肌肉减少症制定定义需要考虑多种因素并进行权衡。在这篇批判性评论中，我们解决了推动定义标准化过程的关键挑战，同时深入探讨了肌肉减少症研究的未来途径。关于肌肉减少症的工作定义建立明确的共识不仅对于推进该领域的研究至关重要，而且对于评估诊断肌肉减少症的预后意义和确定受影响患者最合适的治疗方法至关重要。