Sex is a major effect modifier between body composition and mortality in patients with cirrhosis assessed for liver transplantation

Nutritional assessment of patients with liver cirrhosis in the outpatient setting: A narrative review

Malnutrition is common in liver cirrhosis and is associated with increased rates of complications, hospitalization, and mortality. There are no consensus guidelines for malnutrition assessment in liver cirrhosis and a large number of clinicians do not routinely assess for malnutrition in patients with liver cirrhosis. This review explores the tools available for assessment of malnutrition in patients with liver cirrhosis, including nutritional screening protocols, anthropometric tools, biochemical tools, techniques analyzing body composition and functional assessments. We evaluate these tools and offer recommendations regarding their suitability for outpatient settings. In this review, we recommend the Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritising Tool for identifying patients at risk of malnutrition. Additionally, we recommend the use of the anthropometric tools Triceps Skinfold Thickness for females and Mid-Arm Muscle Circumference for males, due to differing patterns of muscle and fat malnutrition. Complementing this Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis can be utilized to assess body composition for the diagnosis of malnutrition. Biochemical markers have thus far failed to show a correlation with malnutrition. While hand grip strength is useful for detecting sarcopenia, a common complication of malnutrition, further evidence is required to validate its correlation with malnutrition.

Sex-Specific Body Composition Profile Determined by Pelvic Computed Tomography Associated with Mortality in Older Patients with Hip Fracture

OBJECTIVES

Previous research has demonstrated notable differences in body composition and mortality risk following hip fracture between sexes. This study aimed to investigate the sex-specific associations between body composition profile and mortality in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.

DESIGN

Dual-center cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We included 488 older patients (aged ≥60 years) with hip fracture treated with surgery.

METHODS

The cross-sectional area and attenuation of skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and intermuscular adipose tissue at the the upper thigh level on preoperative pelvic computed tomography (CT) were measured. The relationship between body composition and mortality was determined using Cox proportional hazards analysis stratified by sex.

RESULTS

The mean age of the cohort was 76.2 ± 8.7 years, and 312 (63.9%) were women. Within 1 year after surgery, 89 (18.2%) patients died. Female patients had greater subcutaneous adipose tissue area [SATA; median (interquartile range), 196.5 (160.1∼228.5) vs 147.1 (111.3∼181.1) cm2; P < .001] and lower skeletal muscle area [SMA; 187.2 (167.3∼212.4) vs 255.5 (223.2∼286.1) cm2; P < .001] compared with male patients. In the sex-stratified multivariable analyses, SATA in females [hazard ratio (HR), 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86∼0.97; P = .003] and SMA in men (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86∼1.00; P = .05) were significant predictors of 1-year mortality. Incorporation of SATA or SMA within the existing Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) showed slightly improved performance in predicting 1-year mortality among women [area under the curve (AUC), 0.70 vs 0.64, P = .11] or men (AUC, 0.76 vs 0.71, P = .06), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Reduced subcutaneous adiposity is associated with mortality in older women undergoing hip fracture surgery, while reduced muscle mass predicts mortality in men. These findings highlight the importance of considering sexual dimorphism in the development of novel biomarkers and effective treatment strategies.

Baseline and early changes in CT body composition can predict recurrence-free survival after radical gastrectomy: A sex-specific study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the predictive value of baseline CT body composition and its early changes on recurrence-free survival (RFS) following radical gastrectomy, while also assessing potential sex-related differences.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with confirmed pathology from October 2019 to May 2023. All patients underwent preoperative and postoperative CT scans to assess visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), skeletal muscle area (SMA), and skeletal muscle density (SMD), along with calculating their respective rates of change. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of RFS in male and female patients separately, and nomogram models were subsequently developed. The models' predictive performance was assessed using calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

The study included 287 patients, consisting of 185 males and 102 females. At baseline, males had a lower subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI) but higher skeletal muscle index (SMI) and SMD compared to females (p＜0.001). Postoperatively, both SATI and visceral adipose tissue index (VATI) were significantly lower in both males and females than their corresponding preoperative values (p＜0.005). In males, SMI (HR = 0.442, p = 0.002), VATI (HR = 1.843, p = 0.018), lymphocyte (LYM) (HR = 0.486, p = 0.040), pathological T stage (HR = 3.004, p = 0.003), and postoperative complication (POC) (HR = 1.893, p = 0.014) were found to be independent predictors of RFS. In females, independent predictors of RFS included SMI (HR = 0.361, p = 0.013), SATI change rate (δSATI) (HR = 0.428, p = 0.024), albumin (ALB) (HR = 0.242, p = 0.003), CEA (HR = 5.418, p < 0.001), and POC (HR = 3.425, p < 0.001). The male-specific nomogram model demonstrated predictive accuracy for recurrence-free survival (RFS), with areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.621, 0.783, and 0.796 at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Similarly, the female-specific nomogram model achieved AUCs of 0.796, 0.836, and 0.783 at the corresponding time points. Calibration curves indicated a strong concordance between predicted and observed outcomes, while DCA validated the clinical utility of both models. Additionally, the models effectively stratified patients into low-risk and high-risk groups.

CONCLUSION

Sex differences were observed in the predictive value of CT body composition for RFS after gastrectomy. By incorporating CT body composition parameters and clinical indicators, sex-specific nomogram models were developed, demonstrating effective prediction of RFS in gastric cancer patients post-surgery.

Biological Sex Is an Effect Modifier of Allergen-Mediated Alteration of the Lung Proteome

Asthma exhibits a distinct sex bias in the disease prevalence, severity, and response to therapy. However, sex-related differences in alterations of the lung proteome mediated by aeroallergens critical in asthma, such as house dust mites (HDM), remain unknown. In this study, we define sex-related differences in the lung proteome using an HDM-challenged mouse model by 1D LC-MS/MS. Sex-disaggregated data analysis showed that 406 proteins were uniquely altered in females, 273 proteins were uniquely altered in males, and 414 proteins were altered in both females and males in response to HDM. In a linear mixed model analysis, sex modified the HDM exposure effect for 163 proteins, i.e., a significant sex:exposure interaction was identified in 84 proteins in females and 35 proteins in males. Of these, 12 proteins showed a significant sex effect in both female and male lungs. We further selected 3 proteins Tjp1, Lamtor1, and G3BP2 for independent confirmation studies. Our findings detail the sex-specific lung proteome in response to an aeroallergen critical in asthma and demonstrate that sex is a significant effect modifier of HDM response. These results will serve as a valuable resource for delineating sex-specific mechanisms in aeroallergen-driven responses in asthma research.

Sarcopenia evaluated by EASL/AASLD computed tomography-based criteria predicts mortality in patients with cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background & Aims

Sarcopenia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis, but its definition in current literature is very heterogeneous. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between mortality and sarcopenia evaluated by computed tomography (CT) in patients with cirrhosis, both overall and stratified for the criteria used to define sarcopenia.

Methods

Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched up to January 2023. We included studies assessing sarcopenia presence with CT scans and providing data on the risk of mortality. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were pooled using a random-effects model.

Results

Thirty-nine studies comprising 12,827 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The summary prevalence of sarcopenia was 44% (95% CI 38-50%). The presence of sarcopenia (any definition) was an independent predictor of mortality with an adjusted HR of 2.07 (95% CI 1.81-2.36), and the result was consistent in all subgroup analyses. The prognostic role of the EASL/AASLD criteria was confirmed for the first time with an HR of 1.86 (95% CI 1.53-2.26) (n = 14 studies). The cut-offs used to define sarcopenia based on psoas muscle parameters varied among studies, thus, a subgroup analysis was not feasible. There was no substantial heterogeneity for the main estimates and no significant risk of publication bias.

Conclusions

Sarcopenia on CT is associated with a 2-fold higher risk of mortality in patients with cirrhosis. The cut-offs proposed by EASL/AASLD are prognostically relevant and should be the recommended criteria used to define sarcopenia in clinical practice.

Impact and implications

Sarcopenia assessed by the reference standard (computed tomography scan) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with cirrhosis, with a 2-fold increase in the risk of death in all sensitivity analyses. This finding is particularly valid in patients from Europe and North America, and in transplant candidates. Stratifying for the parameters and cut-offs used, we confirmed for the first time the prognostic impact of the definition proposed by EASL/AASLD, supporting their use in clinical practice. Psoas muscle assessment is promising, but data are still limited and too heterogeneous to recommend its routine use at present.

Sarcopenia increases mortality risk in liver transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Liver transplantation is an efficacious treatment option for those with liver cirrhosis. However, the prognostic role of sarcopenia in these patients is unknown. Given this background, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of sarcopenia on mortality in patients listed, evaluated and undergoing liver transplantation.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Several databases were searched from the inception to December 2022 for observational studies regarding sarcopenia in liver transplant and mortality. We calculated the risk of mortality in sarcopenia vs. no sarcopenia using the most adjusted estimate available and summarizing the data as risk ratios (RRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A random-effect model was considered for all analyses.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Among 1135 studies initially considered, 33 articles were included for a total of 12,137 patients (mean age: 55.3 years; 39.4% females). Over a median of 2.6 years and after adjusting for a median of 3 covariates, sarcopenia increased the risk of mortality approximately 2-fold (RR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.70-2.36). After accounting for publication bias, the re-calculated RR was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.49-2.06). The quality of the studies was generally low, as determined by the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia was significantly linked with an increased risk of mortality in patients listed, evaluated, and undergoing a liver transplantation, indicating the need of interventional studies in this special population with the main aim to reverse this potential reversible condition and decrease mortality risk.

Psoas muscle index and psoas muscle density are associated with functional status in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis

BACKGROUND

The factors affecting lumbar spinal function in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) are still unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored psoas major muscle morphology in patients with DLSS and its association with their functional status.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 288 patients with DLSS and 260 control subjects. Psoas major muscle evaluation included three morphometric parameters at the L3/4 disc level: psoas major index (PMI), muscle attenuation, and psoas major morphological changes (MPM). The association between psoas major morphology and functional status was assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI).

RESULTS

Both female and male patients with DLSS had a higher PMI and lower muscle attenuation. PMI and muscle attenuation were inversely correlated with age in the DLSS group. After multivariable analyses, the PMI and psoas major muscle attenuation were positively correlated with patients' functional status.

CONCLUSION

The PMI and muscle attenuation were positively correlated with functional status in patients with DLSS. These findings have important implications for physiotherapy programs of postoperative rehabilitation and conservative management of DLSS.

Assessment of gnostic and stereognostic functions in patients with liver cirrhosis: A comparative study with healthy controls

BACKGROUND

Individuals diagnosed with liver cirrhosis typically experience a variety of symptoms. Decompensation, a critical stage in the disease's progression, is characterized by the emergence of prominent clinical signs. These signs typically include ascites, bleeding tendencies, hepatic encephalopathy, and jaundice. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that regions in the sensorimotor cortex responsible for practical and gnostic functions are closely situated within the parieto-occipital part of the cortex. Liver cirrhosis may also have an impact on this aspect of human motor function.

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the study is to compare the gnostic function and stereognostic function in individuals with liver cirrhosis and those in a healthy population.

METHODS

The patients included in our registry, known as RH7, were enrolled in our study. The first group consisted of 74 liver cirrhosis patients (including 25 women and 49 men). The control group consisted of a 63 healthy population (including 23 women and 40 and men). Both groups underwent both the Petrie and kinaesthesia tests.

RESULTS

The results of the Petrie test, which compared healthy participants with those with liver cirrhosis, indicate that the healthy population achieved a significant difference in both right and left upper limb compared to those with liver cirrhosis patients (p< 0.05). The healthy population showed a significant difference compared to liver cirrhosis patients in the kinesthesia test (p< 0.05), except for the second attempt with the left upper limb (p= 0.267). According to the LFI, there was no significant difference in either upper limb during both the initial and second attempts of Petrie test (p> 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients with liver cirrhosis exhibited significantly poorer gnostic functions compared to the healthy population. This condition also leads to notable impairments in motor functions, affecting both the precision and coordination of movements. Despite these deficits, frailty alone does not appear to be an indicator of worsened gnostic or stereognostic functions. Therefore, while liver cirrhosis has a clear negative impact on motor and cognitive abilities, the presence of frailty does not necessarily exacerbate these specific cognitive deficits. This distinction is crucial for clinical assessments and interventions targeting motor and cognitive rehabilitation in patients with liver cirrhosis.