Sarcopenia in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): A Systematic Review of the Literature

Prognostic value of CT body composition analysis for 1-year mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the value of body composition indices derived from pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) in predicting 1-year mortality among patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We assessed consecutive patients who underwent TAVR between June 2016 and December 2021 at a single academic medical center. Skeletal muscle and subcutaneous fat area at the T4, T12, and L3 levels on pre-procedural CT were measured. The association between body composition and 1-year mortality was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.

RESULTS

Finally, 408 patients were included (185 men and 223 women; mean age, 81.7 ± 5.1 years; range, 62-98 years). Post-procedural death occurred in 13.2% of patients. The muscle-height index and fat-height index at the L3 level were more strongly correlated with those at the T12 level (r = 0.765, p < 0.001 and r = 0.932, p < 0.001, respectively) than with those at the T4 level (r = 0.535, p < 0.001 and r = 0.895, p < 0.001, respectively). The cumulative 1-year mortality rate was highest for patients with both sarcopenia and adipopenia (26%), followed by those with adipopenia only (17%), those with sarcopenia only (12%), and those with neither sarcopenia nor adipopenia (8%, p = 0.002). Multivariable analysis revealed that body composition at the T12 level was an independent risk factor for 1-year mortality (hazard ratio: 4.09, 95% confidence interval: 2.01-8.35) in patients with both sarcopenia and adipopenia (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia or adipopenia assessed with CT at the thoracic level may be valuable for stratifying 1-year all-cause mortality in patients who undergo TAVR.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

Skeletal muscle and subcutaneous fat mass indices at the level of T12, measured on pre-procedural CT, have value for risk stratification of 1-year all-cause mortality in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

KEY POINTS

Sarcopenia and adipopenia are associated with the prognosis of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Body composition at the T12 level was an independent risk factor for 1-year all-cause mortality. Sarcopenia or adipopenia assessed at T12 with pre-procedural CT is valuable for risk stratification.

Sarcopenia and aortic valve disease

Valvular heart disease, including calcific or degenerative aortic stenosis (AS), is increasingly prevalent among the older adult population. Over the last few decades, treatment of severe AS has been revolutionised following the development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Despite improvements in outcomes, older adults with competing comorbidities and geriatric syndromes have suboptimal quality of life outcomes, highlighting the cumulative vulnerability that persists despite valve replacement. Sarcopenia, characterised by loss of muscle strength, mass and function, affects 21%-70% of older adults with AS. Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of short-term and long-term outcomes after TAVR and should be incorporated as a prognostic marker in preprocedural planning. Early diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia may reduce morbidity and mortality and improve quality of life following TAVR. The adverse effects of sarcopenia can be mitigated through resistance training and optimisation of nutritional status. This is most efficacious when administered before sarcopenia has progressed to advanced stages. Management should be individualised based on the patient's wishes/preferences, care goals and physical capability. Exercise during the preoperative waiting period may be safe and effective in most patients with severe AS. However, future studies are needed to establish the benefits of prehabilitation in improving quality of life outcomes after TAVR procedures.

Osteosarcopenia and Mortality in Older Adults Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Importance

Osteosarcopenia is an emerging geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related deterioration in muscle and bone. Despite the established relevance of frailty and sarcopenia among older adults undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), osteosarcopenia has yet to be investigated in this setting.

Objective

To determine the association between osteosarcopenia and adverse outcomes following TAVR.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This is a post hoc analysis of the Frailty in Aortic Valve Replacement (FRAILTY-AVR) prospective multicenter cohort study and McGill extension that enrolled patients aged 70 years or older undergoing TAVR from 2012 through 2022. FRAILTY-AVR was conducted at 14 centers in Canada, the United States, and France between 2012 and 2016, and patients at the McGill University-affiliated center in Montreal, Québec, Canada, were enrolled on an ongoing basis up to 2022.

Exposure

Osteosarcopenia as measured on computed tomography (CT) scans prior to TAVR.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Clinically indicated CT scans acquired prior to TAVR were analyzed to quantify psoas muscle area (PMA) and vertebral bone density (VBD). Osteosarcopenia was defined as a combination of low PMA and low VBD according to published cutoffs. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality, hospital length of stay, disposition, and worsening disability. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders.

Results

Of the 605 patients (271 [45%] female) in this study, 437 (72%) were octogenarian; the mean (SD) age was 82.6 (6.2) years. Mean (SD) PMA was 22.1 (4.5) cm2 in men and 15.4 (3.5) cm2 in women. Mean (SD) VBD was 104.8 (35.5) Hounsfield units (HU) in men and 98.8 (34.1) HU in women. Ninety-one patients (15%) met the criteria for osteosarcopenia and had higher rates of frailty, fractures, and malnutrition at baseline. One-year mortality was highest in patients with osteosarcopenia (29 patients [32%]) followed by those with low PMA alone (18 patients [14%]), low VBD alone (16 patients [11%]), and normal bone and muscle status (21 patients [9%]) (P < .001). Osteosarcopenia, but not low VBD or PMA alone, was independently associated with 1-year mortality (odds ratio [OR], 3.18; 95% CI, 1.54-6.57) and 1-year worsening disability (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.19-3.74). The association persisted in sensitivity analyses adjusting for the Essential Frailty Toolset, Clinical Frailty Scale, and geriatric conditions such as malnutrition and disability.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings suggest that osteosarcopenia detected using clinical CT scans could be used to identify frail patients with a 3-fold increase in 1-year mortality following TAVR. This opportunistic method for osteosarcopenia assessment could be used to improve risk prediction, support decision-making, and trigger rehabilitation interventions in older adults.

Low muscle quality on a procedural computed tomography scan assessed with deep learning as a practical useful predictor of mortality in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Accurate diagnosis of sarcopenia requires evaluation of muscle quality, which refers to the amount of fat infiltration in muscle tissue. In this study, we aim to investigate whether we can independently predict mortality risk in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) patients, using automatic deep learning algorithms to assess muscle quality on procedural computed tomography (CT) scans.

METHODS

This study included 1199 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) between January 2010 and January 2020. A procedural CT scan was performed as part of the preprocedural-TAVI evaluation, and the scans were analyzed using deep-learning-based software to automatically determine skeletal muscle density (SMD) and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). The association of SMD and IMAT with all-cause mortality was analyzed using a Cox regression model, adjusted for other known mortality predictors, including muscle mass.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 80 ± 7 years, 53% were female. The median observation time was 1084 days, and the overall mortality rate was 39%. We found that the lowest tertile of muscle quality, as determined by SMD, was associated with an increased risk of mortality (HR 1.40 [95%CI: 1.15-1.70], p < 0.01). Similarly, low muscle quality as defined by high IMAT in the lowest tertile was also associated with increased mortality risk (HR 1.24 [95%CI: 1.01-1.52], p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that deep learning-assessed low muscle quality, as indicated by fat infiltration in muscle tissue, is a practical, useful and independent predictor of mortality after TAVI.

Sarcopenia Among Older People in the Philippines: A Scoping Review

Aims: This review aimed to identify and map the evidence about sarcopenia among older Filipinos. Methods: Studies about sarcopenia among Filipinos aged 60 and above were included. All studies regardless of type, setting, language, and timeframe were reviewed. The Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, Embase, PubMed, and Health Research and Development Information Network were searched. The study was conducted per an a priori protocol and utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews. Results: From the 87 records identified, 20 studies published from 2013 to 2023 were eligible (≥ 5424 participants). The studies were varied; 11 cross-sectional, 2 conference lectures, 2 consensus reports, 1 meta-analysis, cohort study, case series, posthoc analysis, and continuing education. As to setting, 11 studies were conducted in the hospital and 4 in the community. On the level of prevention, 5 studies addressed the primary level, 10 studies secondary, and 2 studies both tertiary and secondary. The studies focused on: sarcopenia in a specific group (13 studies), consensus (4 studies), and education (3 studies). Conclusions: Sarcopenia studies among older Filipinos were limited. Most were hospital-based and involved patients with comorbidities. Some studies used sarcopenia assessment guidelines with Filipino normative references. Sarcopenia impacts the overall well-being of older Filipinos; hence more studies and health promotion programs are necessary.

Sarcopenia and adipose tissue evaluation by artificial intelligence predicts the overall survival after TAVI

Sarcopenia is a serious systemic disease that reduces overall survival. TAVI is selectively performed in patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not indicated for open cardiac surgery due to severe polymorbidity. Artificial intelligence-assisted body composition assessment from available CT scans appears to be a simple tool to stratify these patients into low and high risk based on future estimates of all-cause mortality. Within our study, the segmentation of preprocedural CT scans at the level of the lumbar third vertebra in patients undergoing TAVI was performed using a neural network (AutoMATiCA). The obtained parameters (area and density of skeletal muscles and intramuscular, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue) were analyzed using Cox univariate and multivariable models for continuous and categorical variables to assess the relation of selected variables with all-cause mortality. 866 patients were included (median(interquartile range)): age 79.7 (74.9-83.3) years; BMI 28.9 (25.9-32.6) kg/m2. Survival analysis was performed on all automatically obtained parameters of muscle and fat density and area. Skeletal muscle index (SMI in cm2/m2), visceral (VAT in HU) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT in HU) density predicted the all-cause mortality in patients after TAVI expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI): SMI HR 0.986, 95% CI (0.975-0.996); VAT 1.015 (1.002-1.028) and SAT 1.014 (1.004-1.023), all p < 0.05. Automatic body composition assessment can estimate higher all-cause mortality risk in patients after TAVI, which may be useful in preoperative clinical reasoning and stratification of patients.

Potential confounders of the obesity paradox in older patients following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

PURPOSE

A higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower mortality in older patients following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic valve stenosis. The current study aimed to investigate potential confounders of association between BMI and prognosis.

METHODS

The retrospective single-center study included consecutive patients following TAVR and excluded those in whom subcutaneous fat accumulation (SFA), visceral fat accumulation (VFA), and major psoas muscle (MPM) volume were not assessed by computed tomography. Cachexia was defined as a combination of BMI < 20 kg/m2 and any biochemical abnormalities.

RESULTS

After 2 patients were excluded, 234 (age, 86 ± 5 years; male, 77 [33%]; BMI, 22.4 ± 3.8 kg/m2; SFA, 109 (54-156) cm2; VFA, 71 (35-115) cm2; MPM, 202 (161-267) cm3; cachexia, 49 [21%]) were evaluated. SFA and VFA were strongly correlated with BMI (ρ = 0.734 and ρ = 0.712, respectively), whereas MPM was weakly correlated (ρ = 0.346). Two-year all-cause mortality was observed in 31 patients (13%). Higher BMI was associated with lower mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.95). A similar result was observed in the multivariate model including SFA (aHR in an increase of 20 cm2, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.77-0.98) instead of BMI, whereas VFA was not significant. Cachexia was a worse predictor (aHR, 2.51; 95% CI 1.11-5.65).

CONCLUSIONS

Association of higher BMI with lower mortality may be confounded by SFA in older patients following TAVR. Cachexia might reflect higher mortality in patients with lower BMI.

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.

The Trajectory of Nutritional Status and Physical Activity before and after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

It is suggested that older patients waiting for an elective surgical procedure have a poor nutritional status and low physical activity level. It is unknown if this hypothesis is true and if these conditions improve after a medical procedure. We aimed to determine the trajectory of both conditions before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Included patients (n = 112, age 81 ± 5 years, 58% male) received three home visits (preprocedural, one and six months postprocedural). Nutritional status was determined with the mini nutritional assessment—short form (MNA-SF) and physical activity using an ankle-worn monitor (Stepwatch). The median MNA-SF score was 13 (11−14), and 27% of the patients were at risk of malnutrition before the procedure. Physical activity was 6273 ± 3007 steps/day, and 69% of the patients did not meet the physical activity guidelines (>7100 steps/day). We observed that nutritional status and physical activity did not significantly change after the procedure (β 0.02 [95% CI −0.03, 0.07] points/months on the MNA-SF and β 16 [95% CI −47, 79] steps/month, respectively). To conclude, many preprocedural TAVI patients should improve their nutritional status or activity level. Both conditions do not improve naturally after a cardiac procedure.

Sarcopenia as a predictor of outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Sarcopenia represents a central biological substratum of frailty, which increases the incidence of adverse events and mortality after surgery for oesophageal cancer, gastrectomy and pancreatic surgery. Recently, sarcopenia has been suggested as a predictor of outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, since relevant data were variable, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature to evaluate sarcopenia as a predictor of post-TAVI outcomes.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Two investigators will conduct independent searches in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library, from database inception to October 2022. The search will not be limited by language or region. Eligible studies will include reports investigating post-TAVI outcomes in patients with sarcopenia, who are aged >18 years and diagnosed using a CT scan. The primary outcome is short-term mortality (30-day mortality), while the secondary outcomes include long-term mortality (>30 days), length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, need for ICU admission (the number of patients in the sarcopenia or non-sarcopenia group requiring ICU admission), length of hospital stay and overall complications. Included studies will be assessed for risk of bias according to the Quality in Prognosis Studies critical assessment tool and certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. The analysis will be done with Review Manager (V.5.4) software. If testing reveals little or no statistical heterogeneity, a fixed-effect model will be used for data synthesis; otherwise, a random-effect model may be employed. On encountering substantial heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and leave-one-out jackknife sensitivity analysis will be used to verify the robustness of the results. The obtained results will be presented as forest plots while Cochran's Q test and I² test will be used to calculate the heterogeneity (>50% indicating strong heterogeneity).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

No ethical approval is needed for this study since we will be using data from previously published studies. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022349525.

CT-Diagnosed Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Biomarkers in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Is It Possible to Predict Muscle Loss Based on Laboratory Tests?—A Multicentric Retrospective Analysis

Background: Patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) often present with heart failure and sarcopenia. Sarcopenia, described as progressive degradation of skeletal muscle mass, has frequently been implicated as a cause of increased mortality, prolonged hospitalization and generalized poor outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). At present, sarcopenia is defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) based on clinical examination criteria and radiological imaging. The aim of the present study was to compare patients with Computed Tomography (CT)-diagnosed sarcopenia with regard to the expression of cardiovascular biomarkers in order to obtain additional, laboratory-chemical information. Methods: A total of 179 patients with severe AS were included in this retrospective study. Sarcopenia was determined via CT by measurement of the psoas muscle area (PMA), which was indexed to body surface area (PMAi). According to previous studies, the lowest tertile was defined as sarcopenic. Patients with (59/179) and without sarcopenia (120/179) in the overall cohort were compared by gender-specific cut-offs with regard to the expression of cardiovascular biomarkers such as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2), growth/differentiation of factor-15 (GDF-15), heart-type fatty-acid binding protein (H-FABP), insulin like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGF-BP2) and soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR). Additionally, binary logistic regression analyses were calculated to detect possible predictors of the presence of sarcopenia. Results: No statistical differences regarding one-year survival could be detected between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients in survival curves (log rank test p = 0.179). In the entire cohort, only BNP and hemoglobin (HB) showed a statistically significant difference, with only HB emerging as a relevant predictor for the presence of sarcopenia after binary logistic regression analysis (p = 0.015). No relevant difference in biomarker expression could be found in the male cohort. Regarding the female cohort, statistically significant differences were found in BNP, HB and hematocrit (HK). In binary logistic regression, however, none of the investigated criteria could be related to sarcopenia. Conclusion: Regardless of gender, patients with imaging-based muscle degradation did not demonstrate significantly different cardiovascular biomarker expression compared to those without it.

Preprocedural muscle strength and physical performance and the association with functional decline or mortality in frail older patients after transcatheter aortic valve implementation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A significant number of older patients planned for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) experience a decline in physical functioning and death, despite a successful procedure.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature on the association of preprocedural muscle strength and physical performance with functional decline or long-term mortality after TAVI.

METHODS

We followed the PRISMA guidelines and pre-registered this review at PROSPERO (CRD42020208032). A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to 10 December 2021. Studies reporting on the association of preprocedural muscle strength or physical performance with functional decline or long-term (>6 months) mortality after the TAVI procedure were included. For outcomes reported by three or more studies, a meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

In total, two studies reporting on functional decline and 29 studies reporting on mortality were included. The association with functional decline was inconclusive. For mortality, meta-analysis showed that low handgrip strength (hazard ratio (HR) 1.80 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-2.63]), lower distance on the 6-minute walk test (HR 1.15 [95% CI: 1.09-1.21] per 50 m decrease), low performance on the timed up and go test (>20 s) (HR 2.77 [95% CI: 1.79-4.30]) and slow gait speed (<0.83 m/s) (HR 2.24 [95% CI: 1.32-3.81]) were associated with higher long-term mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Low muscle strength and physical performance are associated with higher mortality after TAVI, while the association with functional decline stays inconclusive. Future research should focus on interventions to increase muscle strength and physical performance in older cardiac patients.

Impact of sarcopenia on daily functioning: a cross-sectional study among older inpatients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Geriatric patients with sarcopenia are at increased risk for functional decline with loss of independence in daily living. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the impact of sarcopenia on different domains of functional status in hospitalized geriatric patients.

METHODS

Sarcopenia was assessed at hospital admission using the recommendations of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2). Body impedance analysis (BIA) was performed to determine muscle mass, and a pneumatic hand dynamometer was used to assess muscle strength. The functional independence measure (FIM) score, an 18-item tool exploring an individual's physical, cognitive and social functions, was used to measure functional status.

RESULTS

In 305 included inpatients with a median age of 84.0 years (65.6% female), prevalence of sarcopenia was 22.6%. Overall, sarcopenic patients had significant lower FIM scores compared to non-sarcopenic patients (p = 0.006). An association with sarcopenia was found for the FIM items bed/chair/wheelchair transfer (p = 0.047), transfer to toilet (p = 0.048), locomotion (p = 0.001), climbing stairs (p = 0.012), comprehension (p = 0.029), and social interaction (p = 0.028).

CONCLUSION

In hospitalized geriatric patients, sarcopenia was found to be associated with both cognitive and mobility domains, but not with self-care domains of the FIM score. Therefore, when addressing sarcopenia in inpatients, tailored and multi-dimensional training interventions mainly should focus on motor-cognitive abilities.

Cystatin C in risk prediction after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a retrospective analysis

Aims

No study has evaluated the prognostic value of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) classification by cystatin C‐based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (CKD_Cys classification) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of CKD_Cys classification and CKD classification by creatinine‐based eGFR (CKD_Cr classification) in risk prediction after TAVR.

Methods and results

We retrospectively analysed consecutive 219 patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR at our institute between December 2016 and June 2019. Pre‐operative CKD_Cr and CKD_Cys classifications were evaluated for their prognostic value of 2‐year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after TAVR. MACCE was defined as the composite of all‐cause mortality, non‐fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and rehospitalization for worsening congestive heart failure. Participants had a median age of 86.0 years and were predominantly female (76.9%). In 96.6% of the cases, TAVR was performed using transfemoral access. The median creatinine‐based eGFR (52.85 mL/min/1.73 m²) was higher than the cystatin C‐based eGFR (41.50 mL/min/1.73 m²). Downward reclassification in CKD stages based on eGFR_Cys was observed in 49.0% of patients. During a median follow‐up period of 575.5 (interquartile range: 367.0–730.0) days, 58 patients presented with MACCE. CKD_Cys classification, but not CKD_Cr classification, significantly stratified the risk of 2‐year MACCE in patients after TAVR by log‐rank test (P = 0.003). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, only CKD_Cys stage 3b [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.37; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28–14.91; P = 0.019] and CKD_Cys stage 4 + 5 (HR = 3.72; 95% CI: 1.06–12.99; P = 0.040) were significant predictors of MACCE after adjustment for potential confounders.

Conclusions

The CKD_Cys classification could better assess the risk than the CKD_Cr classification in patients undergoing TAVR. CKD_Cys stage 3b and stage 4 + 5 correlated with adverse outcomes.

Evaluation of a Fully Automatic Deep Learning-Based Method for the Measurement of Psoas Muscle Area

Background

Manual muscle mass assessment based on Computed Tomography (CT) scans is recognized as a good marker for malnutrition, sarcopenia, and adverse outcomes. However, manual muscle mass analysis is cumbersome and time consuming. An accurate fully automated method is needed. In this study, we evaluate if manual psoas annotation can be substituted by a fully automatic deep learning-based method.

Methods

This study included a cohort of 583 patients with severe aortic valve stenosis planned to undergo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). Psoas muscle area was annotated manually on the CT scan at the height of lumbar vertebra 3 (L3). The deep learning-based method mimics this approach by first determining the L3 level and subsequently segmenting the psoas at that level. The fully automatic approach was evaluated as well as segmentation and slice selection, using average bias 95% limits of agreement, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and within-subject Coefficient of Variation (CV). To evaluate performance of the slice selection visual inspection was performed. To evaluate segmentation Dice index was computed between the manual and automatic segmentations (0 = no overlap, 1 = perfect overlap).

Results

Included patients had a mean age of 81 ± 6 and 45% was female. The fully automatic method showed a bias and limits of agreement of -0.69 [-6.60 to 5.23] cm2, an ICC of 0.78 [95% CI: 0.74-0.82] and a within-subject CV of 11.2% [95% CI: 10.2-12.2]. For slice selection, 84% of the selections were on the same vertebra between methods, bias and limits of agreement was 3.4 [-24.5 to 31.4] mm. The Dice index for segmentation was 0.93 ± 0.04, bias and limits of agreement was -0.55 [1.71-2.80] cm2.

Conclusion

Fully automatic assessment of psoas muscle area demonstrates accurate performance at the L3 level in CT images. It is a reliable tool that offers great opportunities for analysis in large scale studies and in clinical applications.

Association between low skeletal muscle mass and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in asymptomatic individuals evaluated by CT

AIM

To investigate the associations of skeletal muscle area and density with coronary atherosclerotic plaques and significant stenosis in asymptomatic adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 243 consecutive subjects who had voluntarily undergone abdominal unenhanced computed tomography (CT) and coronary CT angiography (CCTA) as part of a general health examination were investigated retrospectively. Skeletal muscle area index (SMI) and skeletal muscle density (SMD) was assessed using CT. Coronary atherosclerotic plaques and stenosis on CCTA were evaluated. The associations of low SMI and low SMD with coronary atherosclerotic plaques and significant stenosis were determined by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, there were significant associations of low SMI or low SMD with atherosclerotic plaque, total significant stenosis, and significant stenosis caused by calcified or mixed plaques (for all p<0.05). In addition, multivariate regression analysis also showed that low SMI was independently associated with calcified plaque (p=0.038) and non-calcified plaque (p=0.006), and individuals with low SMD were more likely to have mixed plaque (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Assessment of the skeletal muscle on CT help to identify asymptomatic adults at risk for coronary atherosclerosis.

Association Between Sarcopenia and Adverse Events Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Background

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass/function, has been identified as a marker of frailty. We examined the association between sarcopenia and adverse events following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Toronto General Hospital. All patients who underwent TAVI in the time period 2007-2017 with preoperative computed tomography were included. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated radiographically using psoas muscle area at the L3 vertebral level, divided by height. Various measures of sarcopenia, including mean SMI, SMI below the sex-specific median, and SMI in the lowest sex-specific quartile were calculated. The primary outcome was postoperative adverse events, defined as a composite of in-hospital mortality and morbidity including cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurologic, access-related, and gastrointestinal complications. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine the association between sarcopenia and adverse events.

Results

A total of 468 patients (mean age: 80.7 years) were included. Baseline comorbidity burden was high, particularly congestive heart failure (93.4%). Postoperative adverse events occurred in 62 patients (13.2%). Univariate logistic regression demonstrated that postoperative adverse events were correlated with mean SMI (odds ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% confidence interal [CI] 0.66-0.97), events were less than the SMI (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.24-3.84), and SMI in the sex-specific lowest quartile (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.33-4.07). On multivariate analysis, SMI in the sex-specific lowest quartile was an independent predictor of adverse events (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.41-4.50).

Conclusions

Sarcopenia defined by radiologic psoas muscle measurements was independently associated with in-hospital mortality and morbidity following TAVI.

Impact of Severe Sarcopenia on Rehospitalization and Survival One Year After a TAVR Procedure in Patients Aged 75 and Older

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) reduces mortality and improves quality of life in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis. One third of patients have no benefit one year after TAVR. Sarcopenia, an age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, is associated with increased physical disability and mortality. The main purpose was to evaluate the impact of severe sarcopenia on rehospitalization one year after TAVR in older patients.

METHODS

All patients aged ≥75 referred for a TAVR in 2018 were included. Severe sarcopenia was defined by a loss of skeletal muscle mass defined on CT-scan measurement associated with a gait speed ≤0.8m/s. The main outcome was rehospitalization one year after TAVR.

RESULTS

Median age of the 182 included patients was 84, and 35% had an unplanned hospitalization at one year. Severe sarcopenia was diagnosed in 9 patients (4.9%). Univariable analysis showed that gait speed was a factor associated with readmission [HR=0.32, 95% CI (0.10-0.97), p=0.04] but not severe sarcopenia. In multivariable analysis, only diabetes was significantly associated with rehospitalization [HR=2.06, 95% CI (1.11-3.84), p=0.02]. Prevalence of severe sarcopenia varied according to different thresholds of skeletal muscle mass on CT-scan.

CONCLUSION

Even though severe sarcopenia was not correlated with rehospitalization and mortality at one year after TAVR, our results emphasize the changes in the prevalence according to cutoff used. It highlights the need to define standardized methods and international threshold for sarcopenia diagnosis by CT-scan measurements, in general population and for patients with valvular heart disease.

Sarcopenia index as a predictor of clinical outcomes in older patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is a prevalent condition in elderly patients and has been associated with adverse outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The present study aimed to determine the predictive value of serum creatinine-cystatin C ratio, that is, "Sarcopenia Index" (SI) as a surrogate marker of sarcopenia, and investigate its association with clinical outcomes after TAVR.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients undergoing TAVR between January, 2016 and December, 2018 at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Patients were excluded if <65-years old, presented previous surgical aortic valve replacement, severe chronic kidney disease, or hemodialysis requirement. The SI was obtained at baseline before TAVR. All-cause mortality and/or readmissions for congestive heart failure (CHF) were defined as the primary endpoint.

RESULTS

In total 100 patients met inclusion criteria for the purpose of the study. Sarcopenia Index was significantly correlated with Timed Up and Go (r = -0.272, p = .010) and Gait Speed (r = -0.278, p = .005). During follow-up, 5/100 patients died within 30 days and a total of 10/100 patients died at 1-year follow-up. Moreover, survival curves were significantly worse (Log-rank test = p = .02) and CHF readmissions were more prevalent in the lowest SI tertile (Log-rank test = p = .01). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, we identified low SI (cutoff ≤66) as an independent predictor of long-term adverse outcomes (HR = 4.01, 95% CI = 1.31-12.27, p = .015) at 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia Index, surrogate for the degree of skeletal muscle mass (SMM), could be used as a predictor of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR.