Table 2.
Association between sarcopenia and mortality.
| Subgroup | Sarcopenia presence (dichotomized variable) |
Skeletal muscle index (continuous variable) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studies, n | Summary HR (95% CI) | I2 | Studies, n | Summary HR (95% CI) | I2 | |
| Overall summary | 30 | 2.07 (1.81-2.36) | 34.2% | 20 | 0.98 (0.97-0.98) | 37.5% |
| Study type | ||||||
| Retrospective | 24 | 2.07 (1.76-2.34) | 42.4% | 4 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 34.5% |
| Prospective | 6 | 2.04 (1.52-2.73) | 0% | 16 | 0.94 (0.90-0.97) | 0% |
| Study size | ||||||
| <150 patients | 5 | 2.441 (1.66-3.59) | 0% | 3 | 0.97 (0.95-0.99) | 0% |
| >150 patients | 25 | 2.03 (1.76-2.35) | 34.2% | 17 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 43.1% |
| Region | ||||||
| Asia | 17 | 2.16 (1.76-2.64) | 49.6% | 7 | 0.97 (0.94-0.99) | 57.8% |
| Europe | 9 | 1.81 (1.48-2.22) | 0% | 5 | 0.99 (0.98-1) | 0% |
| North America | 3 | 2.01 (1.46-2.77) | 16% | 7 | 0.97 (0.96-0.98) | 20.3% |
| Main etiology | ||||||
| Viral | 18 | 2.11 (1.73-2.57) | 51.8% | 14 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 45.6% |
| ArLD | 11 | 2.09 (1.70-2.57) | 0% | 4 | 0.97 (0.95-0.99) | 20.5% |
| Inclusion of HCC patients | ||||||
| No | 18 | 2.10 (1.74-2.53) | 31.7% | 8 | 0.97 (0.95-0.99) | 52.8% |
| Yes | 12 | 2.03 (1.66-2.48) | 41% | 12 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 29.2% |
| Main inclusion criteria | ||||||
| Cirrhosis | 17 | 2.09 (1.75-2.49) | 29.4% | 11 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 42% |
| LT candidates | 11 | 1.99 (1.66-2.28) | 9.7% | 8 | 0.97 (0.96-0.98) | 0% |
| ACLF | 3 | 2.31 (0.92-5.76) | 82.4% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Liver function | ||||||
| Mean MELD <15 | 17 | 2.01 (1.76-2.29) | 0% | 10 | 0.98 (0.97-0.99) | 11.3% |
| Mean MELD ≥15 | 8 | 2.30 (1.55-3.41) | 58.1% | 9 | 0.97 (0.96-0.99) | 60.5% |
| Definition used | ||||||
| SMI-based | 24 | 2.00 (1.73-2.31) | 30% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PM-based | 6 | 2.43 (1.68-3.51) | 52.8% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
ACLF, acute-on-chronic liver failure; ArLD, alcohol-related liver disease; CI, confidence interval; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HR, hazard ratio; LT, liver transplant; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease; N/A, not available; PM, psoas muscle; SMI, skeletal muscle index.