Prognostic Value of Baseline Sarcopenia on 1-year Mortality in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

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.

Association between Sarcopenia and Survival in Patients Undergoing Gamma Knife Surgery for Brain Metastasis from Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Single-centre Cohort Study

AIMS

Many recent studies related to cancer surgery have reported that sarcopenia influences mortality in surgical patients. However, few comprehensive studies have examined the associations between sarcopenia and short- and long-term surgical outcomes of metastatic cancer, especially breast cancer with brain metastasis. In the present study, we investigated the association between sarcopenia and mortality in patients who underwent gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for brain metastasis with breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study analysed 157 patients who underwent GKRS for brain metastasis with breast cancer between January 2014 and December 2018. A Cox regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the association between sarcopenia and mortality at 90 days, 180 days, 1 year, 3 years and the overall period.

RESULTS

In the Cox regression analysis, sarcopenia was significantly associated with high 90-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 3.46, 95% confidence interval 1.24-9.67, P = 0.018), 180-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.67, 95% confidence interval 1.37-5.22, P = 0.004), 1-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval 1.42-4.02, P = 0.001), 3-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval 1.53-3.74, P < 0.001) and overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 2.11, 95% confidence interval 1.37-3.26, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia could be a risk factor for short- and long-term mortality in patients undergoing GKRS for brain metastasis from breast cancer.

Prognostic value of sarcopenia in older adults with transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the prevalence of sarcopenia and its impact on mortality in patients undergoing TAVI.

METHOD

Medline, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched from inception to October 14, 2022 to retrieve eligible studies that assessed sarcopenia in patients undergoing TAVI. Pooled sarcopenia prevalence was calculated with 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity was estimated using the I2 test. Associations of sarcopenia with mortality of post-TAVI were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI.

RESULTS

13 studies involving 5248 patients (mean age from 78.1 to 84.9 years) undergoing TAVI were included. There were eleven studies defined sarcopenia based on loss of skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), while only two studies used low muscle mass plus low muscle strength and/or low physical performance. Overall, the pooled prevalence of sarcopenia in patients undergoing TAVI was 49% (95% CI 41%-58%). Sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of long-term (≥1 year) mortality in patients after TAVI (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.33-1.85, P < 0.001), with similar findings in the subgroups stratified by follow-up time, definition of sarcopenia, study location, and study design. Furthermore, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative probabilities of survival in patients with sarcopenia were significantly lower than non-sarcopenia (74.0% vs 91.0%, 68.3% vs 78.0%, and 72.6% vs 79.8%, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are substantial differences in diagnostic criteria, sarcopenia is highly prevalent in patients undergoing TAVI and its linked to increased long-term mortality after TAVI.

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.

Safety and Efficacy of a Bodyweight Exercise Training Program in Symptomatic Patients With Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis

Conventional exercise therapy including aerobic and resistance training is desirable for cardiovascular disease, whereas it is generally considered contraindicated for symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis (AS). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bodyweight resistance exercise training (BRET), which is low-intensity exercise training in symptomatic patients with severe AS. A BRET program consisting of 8 exercises was performed 3 times a week by patients with AS with physical therapists. For the 78 symptomatic patients with severe AS, the median aortic valve area and mean transaortic valve pressure gradient were 0.56 cm² and 48.9 mm Hg, respectively; none showed any harmful changes in blood pressure or heart rate in 11 sessions of the BRET program. There were no adverse events during hospitalization. Meanwhile, Barthel's Index score significantly improved at the time of hospital discharge. In conclusion, the BRET program in this study did not appear to cause harmful changes in hemodynamics during the program or adverse events during hospitalization, and it improved activities of daily living in symptomatic patients with severe AS, allowing doctors and physical therapists to conduct it safely, with less emotional stress, for cardiac rehabilitation for such patients.

Is pectoralis muscle index a risk factor for mortality in left ventricular assist device patients?

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate whether sarcopenia measured from pectoralis muscles is a risk factor for long-term mortality in left ventricular assist device patients.

METHODS

Patients aged >18 years implanted with a left ventricular assist device in a single center between 2013 and 2019 were retrospectively included. Patients without a thoracic computed tomography scan performed within 3 months of left ventricular assist device implantation and without computed tomography scans appropriate for pectoralis muscle measurement were excluded. Pectoralis muscle measurements were made on thoracic computed tomography slices, and pectoralis muscle indices were calculated for each patient. Sarcopenia was defined as being in the gender-specific lowest tertile of pectoralis muscle index. Survival was compared between patients with and without sarcopenia.

RESULTS

The study was conducted on 64 left ventricular assist device patients who met the inclusion criteria. Notably, 21 (32.8%) of the study patients were sarcopenic. Diabetes mellitus and sarcopenia were more common in patients with 2-year mortality in our cohort. Patients with sarcopenia had a worse 2-year survival (p<0.001). Sarcopenia had an adjusted hazard ratio of 4.04 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36-12.02, p=0.012), while diabetes mellitus was associated with an adjusted hazard ratio of 3.14 (95%CI 1.17-8.39, p=0.023).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia defined by low pectoralis muscle index increases the risk for 2-year mortality in left ventricular assist device patients.

Mapping ongoing nutrition intervention trials in muscle, sarcopenia, and cachexia: a scoping review of future research

Muscle loss alone, or in the context of sarcopenia or cachexia, is a prevalent condition and a predictor of negative outcomes in aging and disease. As adequate nutrition is essential for muscle maintenance, a growing number of studies has been conducted to explore the role of specific nutrients on muscle mass or function. Nonetheless, more research is needed to guide evidence-based recommendations. This scoping review aimed to compile and document ongoing clinical trials investigating nutrition interventions as a strategy to prevent or treat low muscle mass or function (strength and physical performance), sarcopenia, or cachexia. ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched up to 21 April 2021 for planned and ongoing trials. Randomized controlled trials with ≥20 participants per arm were included based on intent to explore the effects of nutrition interventions on muscle-related outcomes (i.e. muscle mass or strength, physical performance, or muscle synthesis rate) in both clinical and non-clinical conditions (i.e. aging). Two reviewers independently screened records for eligibility, and a descriptive synthesis of trials characteristics was conducted. A total of 113 trials were included in the review. Most trials (69.0%) enroll adults with clinical conditions, such as cancer (19.5%), obesity and metabolic diseases (16.8%), and musculoskeletal diseases (10.7%). The effects of nutrition interventions on age-related muscle loss are explored in 31% of trials. Although nutrition interventions of varied types were identified, food supplements alone (48.7%) or combined with dietary advice (11.5%) are most frequently reported. Protein (17.7%), amino acids (10.6%), and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB, 6.2%) are the top three food supplements' nutrients under investigation. Primary outcome of most trials (54.9%) consists of measures of muscle mass alone or in combination with muscle strength and/or performance (as either primary or secondary outcomes). Muscle strength and physical performance are primary outcomes of 38% and 31.9% of the trials, respectively. These measurements were obtained using a variety of techniques. Only a few trials evaluate muscle synthesis rate either as a primary or secondary outcome (5.3%). Several nutrition studies focusing on muscle, sarcopenia, and cachexia are underway and can inform future research in this area. Although many trials have similar type of interventions, methodological heterogeneity may challenge study comparisons, and future meta-analyses aiming to provide evidence-based recommendations. Upcoming research in this area may benefit from guidelines for the assessment of therapeutic effects of nutrition interventions.

Implication of Different ECG Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background

Various ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) have been proposed, but their association with clinical outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement is unknown. We investigated the prevalence of ECG LVH according to different criteria and its prognostic impact on clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Methods and Results

In this prospective observational cohort, we evaluated 700 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement between March 2010 and December 2019. Baseline preprocedural LVH was defined by 3 ECG criteria—Sokolow‐Lyon, Romhilt‐Estes, and Cornell voltage criteria. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular event (MACCE; composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or rehospitalization from cardiovascular cause); the key secondary outcome was all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality. Among 596 eligible patients, the prevalence of LVH was determined as 56.3% by Sokolow‐Lyon, 31.1% by Romhilt‐Estes, and 48.1% by Cornell criteria. Regardless of the criteria, patients with ECG LVH had more severe aortic stenosis hemodynamics and higher left ventricular mass index. After multivariate adjustment, the presence of LVH by the Cornell criteria was significantly associated with lower risks of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51–0.91; P=0.009), all‐cause mortality (adjusted HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34–0.90 [P=0.017]), and cardiovascular mortality (adjusted HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20–0.79 [P=0.008]). However, this association was absent with the Sokolow‐Lyon and Romhilt‐Estes criteria.

Conclusions

ECG LVH by Cornell criteria only was significantly associated with lower risks of MACCE and all‐cause or cardiovascular mortality.

Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03298178.

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 Sarcopenia on Acute Kidney Injury after Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery: A Propensity Matching Analysis

Background: Sarcopenia contributes to increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). However, few reports have demonstrated whether sarcopenia would affect the development of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in these patients. This study aimed to examine whether sarcopenia is associated with AKI and morbidity and mortality after infrarenal AAA operation. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 379 patients who underwent infrarenal AAA surgery. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was performed using the skeletal muscle index, which was calculated from axial computed tomography at the level of L3. The patients were separated into those with sarcopenia (n = 104) and those without sarcopenia (n = 275). We applied multivariable and Cox regression analyses to evaluate the risk factors for AKI and overall mortality. A propensity score matching (PSM) evaluation was done to assess the postoperative results. Results: The incidence of AKI was greater in sarcopenia than non-sarcopenia group before (34.6% vs. 15.3%; p < 0.001) and after the PSM analysis (34.6% vs. 15.4%; p = 0.002). Multivariable analysis revealed sarcopenia to be associated with AKI before (p = 0.010) and after PSM (p = 0.016). Sarcopenia was also associated with overall mortality before (p = 0.048) and after PSM (p = 0.032). A Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that overall mortality was elevated patients with sarcopenia before and after PSM than in those without (log-rank test, p < 0.001, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Sarcopenia was associated with increased postoperative AKI incidence and overall mortality among individuals who underwent infrarenal AAA operation.