MRI‐defined sarcopenia predicts mortality in patients with chronic liver disease

• DOI: 10.1111/liv.14648
• Publication Date: 2020-08-20T15:49:52Z
• Authors: Lucian Beer; Nina Bastati; Ahmed Ba‐Ssalamah; Sarah Pötter‐Lang; Katharina Lampichler; Yesim Bican; David Lauber; Jacqueline Hodge; Teresa Binter; Katharina Pomej; Benedikt Simbrunner; Georg Semmler; Michael Trauner; Mattias Mandorfer; Thomas Reiberger
• Keywords: Decompensation; Univariate analysis; Chronic liver disease; Liver disease

Abstract Background & Aims To explore whether sarcopenia, diagnosed by an abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol is a risk factor for hepatic decompensation and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Methods In this retrospective single‐centre study we included 265 (164 men, mean age 54 ± 16 years) CLD who had undergone MRI of the between 2010 2015. Transverse psoas muscle thickness (TPMT) was measured on unenhanced contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted T2‐weighted axial images. Sarcopenia defined height‐adjusted gender‐specific cut‐offs women as TPMT < 8 mm/m men 12 respectively. Patients were further stratified into three prognostic stages according to absence advanced fibrosis (FIB‐4 1.45, non‐advanced CLD), compensated‐advanced (cACLD) decompensated‐advanced (dACLD). Results The inter‐observer agreement measurements (κ = 0.98; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]:0.96‐0.98), well intra‐observer image sequences 0.99; CI: 0.99‐1.00) excellent. not predictive first or decompensation. cACLD dACLD, sarcopenia (cACLD: hazard ratio (HR):3.13, 1.33‐7.41, P .009; dACLD:HR:2.45, 1.32‐4.57, .005) univariate analysis. After adjusting model end‐stage (MELD) score, albumin evidence clinical significant portal hypertension, (adjusted HR: 2.76, 1.02‐7.42, .045) remained independent cACLD. Conclusion can be easily evaluated short exam without need contrast injection. mortality, especially