Impact of sarcopenic obesity on 30-day mortality in critically ill patients with intra-abdominal sepsis

Association of sarcopenic obesity with the risk of all-cause mortality among adults over a broad range of different settings: a updated meta-analysis

Background

Previous cohort studies investigating the association between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and all-cause mortality among adult people have been inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to determine if SO is a predictor of all-cause mortality.

Methods

Prospective cohort studies that evaluated the association between SO and mortality in older people were identified via a systematic search of three electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library). A random-effects model was applied to combine the results. We considered the methods recommeded by consensuses (dual X-ray absorptiometry,bio-impedancemetry, anthropometric measures or CT scan) to assess sarcopenic obesity.

Results

Of the 603 studies identified through the systematic review, 23 (Participants: 50866) were included in the meta-analysis. The mean age ranged from 50 to 82.5 years.SO was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality among adult people (pooled HR = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.10–1.32, p < 0.001, I² = 64.3%). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis of participants showed that SO was associated with all-cause mortality (pooled HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06–1.23) among community-dwelling adult people; similarly, this association was found in hospitalized patients (pooled HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.17–2.33). Moreover, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that SO was associated with all-cause mortality when using skeletal muscle mass (SMM) criteria, muscle strength criteria, and skeletal muscle index (SMI) criteria (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23; HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05–1.33; and HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.13–2.07, respectively). In addition, we analyzed SO on the basis of obesity definition and demonstrated that participants with a SO diagnosis based on waist circumference (WC) (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.40), body mass index (BMI) (HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04–1.59), or visceral fat area (HR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.83–3.53) have a significantly increase mortality risk compared with those without SO.

Conclusion

Based on our update of existing scientific researches, SO is a significant predictor of all-cause mortality among older people, particularly hospitalized patients. Therefore, it is important to diagnose SO and to treat the condition to reduce mortality rates among older people.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12877-019-1195-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Low Muscularity as Assessed by Abdominal Computed Tomography on Intensive Care Unit Admission Is Associated With Mortality in a Critically Ill Asian Population

BACKGROUND

Low muscularity (LM) is associated with high mortality in the Caucasian critically ill population. Muscularity can be accurately measured by the skeletal muscle index (SMI; cm² /m² ) generated by computed tomography (CT). This study aimed to establish the overall and sex-specific cutoff values that predict hospital mortality in an Asian critically ill population.

METHODS

This single-center, retrospective, observational study included patients aged ≥18 years with an abdominal CT conducted within 72 hours of admission to the intensive care unit. SMI generated from CT images at the level of the mid-third lumbar vertebra were extracted from the medical records. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) was generated to determine the SMI cutoff values for hospital mortality. Association between LM (defined by SMI cutoff value) and hospital mortality was further evaluated by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

In a sample of 228 patients, the overall SMI cutoff value (cm² /m² ) for hospital mortality was 42.0 (AUC: 0.637; sensitivity: 66.7%, specificity: 56.8%), whereas it was 46.5 in males and 35.3 in females. More males than females had LM (51.4% vs 37.5%), and >40% of overweight/obese patients had LM. Patients with LM were older and had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and hospitalization. After adjusting for known confounders, LM independently predicted hospital mortality in the overall sample (adjusted odds ratio: 2.42; 95% CI 1.16-5.03; P = 0.003) and in both sexes.

CONCLUSION

This study established a set of SMI cutoff values that predict hospital mortality. LM is independently associated with hospital mortality.

Obesity in the critically ill: a narrative review

The World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as the condition where excess or abnormal fat accumulation increases risks to health. The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and is around 20% in ICU patients. Adipose tissue is highly metabolically active, and especially visceral adipose tissue has a deleterious adipocyte secretory profile resulting in insulin resistance and a chronic low-grade inflammatory and procoagulant state. Obesity is strongly linked with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea and hypoventilation syndrome, mood disorders and physical disabilities. In hospitalized and ICU patients and in patients with chronic illnesses, a J-shaped relationship between BMI and mortality has been demonstrated, with overweight and moderate obesity being protective compared with a normal BMI or more severe obesity (the still debated and incompletely understood "obesity paradox"). Despite this protective effect regarding mortality, in the setting of critical illness morbidity is adversely affected with increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular complications, requiring adapted management. Obesity is associated with increased risk of AKI and infection, may require adapted drug dosing and nutrition and is associated with diagnostic and logistic challenges. In addition, negative attitudes toward obese patients (the social stigma of obesity) affect both health care workers and patients.

Interventions for the management and prevention of sarcopenia in the critically ill: A systematic review

PURPOSE

In the critically ill, sarcopenia is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes however there is no consensus regarding its management. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence for interventions for the management and prevention of sarcopenia in critically ill patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bibliographic databases were searched according to pre-specified criteria (PROSPERO-CRD42018086271). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating interventions to preserve muscle mass and/or function in critically ill patients were included. Two independent authors selected the articles and assessed bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

RESULTS

Twenty-two eligible RCTs were identified comprising 2792 patients. Three main groups of interventions were implemented in these trials: neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), exercise-based and nutritional. Both the interventions and outcomes measured varied significantly between studies. NMES was most frequently studied as an intervention to preserve muscle mass whilst exercise-based treatments were evaluated as interventions to preserve muscle function. There was significant variation in the efficacy of the interventions on sarcopenia markers and secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

NMES and exercise-based interventions may preserve muscle mass and function in patients with critical illness. There is a lack of consistency seen in the effects of these interventions. Further, large, high quality RCTs are required.

Sarcopenia Index Is a Simple Objective Screening Tool for Malnutrition in the Critically Ill

BACKGROUND

Reliable and valid tools to screen for malnutrition in the intensive care unit (ICU) remain elusive. The sarcopenia index (SI) [(serum creatinine/serum cystatin C) × 100], could be an inexpensive, objective tool to predict malnutrition. We evaluated the SI as a screening tool for malnutrition in the ICU and compared it with the modified-NUTRIC score.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a historical cohort study of ICU patients with stable kidney function admitted to Mayo Clinic ICUs between 2008 and 2015. Malnutrition was defined by the Subjective Global Assessment. Diagnostic performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the 398 included patients, 181 (45%) had malnutrition, with 34 (9%) scored as severely malnourished. The SI was significantly lower in malnourished patients than in well-nourished patients (64 ± 27 vs 72 ± 25; P = 0.002), and reductions in SI corresponded to increased malnutrition severity (P = 0.001). As a screening tool, the SI was an indicator of malnutrition risk (AUC 0.61) and performed slightly better than the more complex modified-NUTRIC score (AUC = 0.57). SI cutoffs of 101 and 43 had >90% sensitivity and >90% specificity, respectively, for the prediction of malnutrition. Patients with a low SI (≤43) had a significantly higher risk of mortality (HR = 2.61, 95% CI 1.06-6.48, P = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

The frequency of malnutrition was high in this critically ill population, and it was associated with a poor prognosis. The SI could be used to assess nutrition risk in ICU patients.

Serum albumin, inflammation, and nutrition in end-stage renal disease: C-reactive protein is needed for optimal assessment

Low serum albumin (S-Alb) is a frequent feature of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that independently predicts mortality. Serum albumin has mainly been considered a biomarker of visceral protein and immunocompetence status, fundamental to nutritional assessment. However, low S-albumin level is associated with persistent systemic inflammation and many bodies of evidence show that S-Alb has a limited role as a marker of nutritional status. We reported that a low S-Alb concentration was an independent risk factor for poor outcome in ESRD only in the presence of systemic inflammation. Moreover, the relationships between inflammatory biomarkers and outcome are confounded also by alterations in body composition (such as obese sarcopenia) and oxidative stress. Taken together, S-Alb alone should not be used as a proxy of the nutritional status in a dialysis patient. Its association with dietary intake is poor and low S-Alb values are most often non-nutritional in origin. When analyzing S-Alb to predict mortality risk in ESRD, it should always be combined with measurement of hsCRP.