The Sarcopenia Index: A Novel Measure of Muscle Mass in Lung Transplant Candidates

Overview

Journal Clin Transplant

Specialty General Surgery

Date 2017 Dec 24

PMID 29274246

Citations 29

Authors

Kianoush Kashani

Kumar Sarvottam

Naveen L Pereira

Erin F Barreto

Cassie C Kennedy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Frailty, including low muscle mass, is an emerging risk factor for poor outcomes after lung transplant. The sarcopenia index (SI)-(serum creatinine value/cystatin C value) × 100-is a novel blood test to approximate muscle mass. We sought to validate SI among lung transplant patients.

Methods: We retrospectively identified adult lung transplant recipients from 2000 through 2012 at our institution who underwent computed tomography within 1 year before transplant and had preserved blood samples. Creatinine and cystatin C values were measured using the samples and used to calculate SI. Muscle mass was estimated by computed tomographic measurement of skeletal muscle cross-sectional surface area (SA) at the L1 to L3 vertebral levels. Correlation between SI and SA was evaluated.

Results: Of 28 patients meeting eligibility criteria, most were white (96%) and men (54%). Median (interquartile range) body mass index, SI, and SA were 25.9 (22-30) kg/m , 106 (91-119), and 157 (113-195) cm2, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient between SI and SA was significant at L2 (0.43; P = .02) and L3 (0.41; P = .03).

Conclusion: Sarcopenia index is a potentially objective measure for estimating muscle mass that is noninvasive and less expensive. Sarcopenia index could be considered in lung transplant candidate selection following prospective validation in larger cohorts.

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