Muscle fat infiltration assessed by total psoas density on computed tomography predicts mortality in cirrhosis

• Published in: Annals of gastroenterology 2018-01, Vol.31 (4), p.491-498
• Main Authors: Kalafateli, Maria, Karatzas, Andreas, Tsiaoussis, Georgios, Koutroumpakis, Efstratios, Tselekouni, Paraskevi, Koukias, Nikolaos, Konstantakis, Christos, Assimakopoulos, Stelios, Gogos, Charalambos, Thomopoulos, Konstantinos, Kalogeropoulou, Christina, Triantos, Christos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original
• ISSN: 1108-7471; 1792-7463; 1792-7463
• DOI: 10.20524/aog.2018.0256

Ongoing evidence suggests that sarcopenia adversely affects outcomes in cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate muscle fat infiltration as a component of sarcopenia and its prognostic value in this setting. In 98 consecutive patients with cirrhosis, muscle density was measured during a computed tomography scan at the level of the fourth to fifth lumbar (L4) vertebrae. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine predictors of survival. Body mass index: median 26 (range 17-45.2); model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score: median 11 (6-29); Child-Pugh (CP) score: median 7 (5-13), CP class: A=49 (50.5%), B=39 (40%), C=10 (9.5%); hepatocellular carcinoma: 14 (14.3%); follow up: median 45 (1-140) months. Median L4 total psoas area (TPA): 2022 (777-3806) mm ; L4 average total psoas density (ATPD): 42.52 (21.26-59.8) HU. ATPD was significantly correlated with age ( =-0.222, P=0.034), creatinine ( =-0.41, P