Impact of Sarcopenia on Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Association between psoas muscle area and outcomes after transcatheter tricuspid valve repair

Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) might be an alternative option to reduce tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in patients with sarcopenia. Psoas muscle area (PMA) measured using computed tomography (CT) is known as a marker of sarcopenia. We investigated the association of PMA with procedural and clinical outcomes following TTVR. We retrospectively measured left and right PMA using pre-procedural CT in patients undergoing TTVR. Low PMA was defined as the total PMA < 20.3 cm2 for men and < 11.8 cm2 for women. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization within one year after TTVR. Of 163 patients, 47 (29%) were considered as having low PMA. Procedural success, defined as residual TR of ≤ 2 + at discharge, and in-hospital mortality were comparable between patients with low and high PMA. Patients with low PMA had a higher incidence of the composite outcome than those with high PMA (49% vs. 21%; p = 0.001) This association was consistent after adjusting for baseline characteristics (adjusted hazard ratio 0.43; 95% confidence interval: 0.23-0.80; p = 0.008). In contrast, the New York Heart Association functional class improved from baseline to three-month follow-up, regardless of PMA. Approximately 30% of patients undergoing TTVR were found to have low PMA. Although TTVR may be a safe therapeutic option to reduce TR and improve heart failure symptoms in patients with sarcopenia, the prognosis after TTVR remains poor in this population. Pre-procedural CT-based assessment of PMA may enhance risk stratification and support better clinical decision-making for TTVR.

Impact of sarcopenia on outcomes in surgical patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgeons have historically used age as a preoperative predictor of postoperative outcomes. Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass due to disease or biological age, has been proposed as a more accurate risk predictor. The prognostic value of sarcopenia assessment in surgical patients remains poorly understood. Therefore, the authors aimed to synthesize the available literature and investigate the impact of sarcopenia on perioperative and postoperative outcomes across all surgical specialties.

METHODS

The authors systematically assessed the prognostic value of sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching the PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from inception to 1st October 2022. Their primary outcomes were complication occurrence, mortality, length of operation and hospital stay, discharge to home, and postdischarge survival rate at 1, 3, and 5 years. Subgroup analysis was performed by stratifying complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. Sensitivity analysis was performed by focusing on studies with an oncological, cardiovascular, emergency, or transplant surgery population and on those of higher quality or prospective study design.

RESULTS

A total of 294 studies comprising 97 643 patients, of which 33 070 had sarcopenia, were included in our analysis. Sarcopenia was associated with significantly poorer postoperative outcomes, including greater mortality, complication occurrence, length of hospital stay, and lower rates of discharge to home (all P <0.00001). A significantly lower survival rate in patients with sarcopenia was noted at 1, 3, and 5 years (all P <0.00001) after surgery. Subgroup analysis confirmed higher rates of complications and mortality in oncological (both P <0.00001), cardiovascular (both P <0.00001), and emergency ( P =0.03 and P =0.04, respectively) patients with sarcopenia. In the transplant surgery cohort, mortality was significantly higher in patients with sarcopenia ( P <0.00001). Among all patients undergoing surgery for inflammatory bowel disease, the frequency of complications was significantly increased among sarcopenic patients ( P =0.007). Sensitivity analysis based on higher quality studies and prospective studies showed that sarcopenia remained a significant predictor of mortality and complication occurrence (all P <0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia is a significant predictor of poorer outcomes in surgical patients. Preoperative assessment of sarcopenia can help surgeons identify patients at risk, critically balance eligibility, and refine perioperative management. Large-scale studies are required to further validate the importance of sarcopenia as a prognostic indicator of perioperative risk, especially in surgical subspecialties.

Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Diseases

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength, mass, and function, which is often exacerbated by chronic comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. Sarcopenia is associated with faster progression of cardiovascular diseases and higher risk of mortality, falls, and reduced quality of life, particularly among older adults. Although the pathophysiologic mechanisms are complex, the broad underlying cause of sarcopenia includes an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic muscle homeostasis with or without neuronal degeneration. The intrinsic molecular mechanisms of aging, chronic illness, malnutrition, and immobility are associated with the development of sarcopenia. Screening and testing for sarcopenia may be particularly important among those with chronic disease states. Early recognition of sarcopenia is important because it can provide an opportunity for interventions to reverse or delay the progression of muscle disorder, which may ultimately impact cardiovascular outcomes. Relying on body mass index is not useful for screening because many patients will have sarcopenic obesity, a particularly important phenotype among older cardiac patients. In this review, we aimed to: (1) provide a definition of sarcopenia within the context of muscle wasting disorders; (2) summarize the associations between sarcopenia and different cardiovascular diseases; (3) highlight an approach for a diagnostic evaluation; (4) discuss management strategies for sarcopenia; and (5) outline key gaps in knowledge with implications for the future of the field.