Table 1.
Comparison of clinical characteristics between patients with and without sarcopenia.
| Variable | All Patients | Sarcopenia | Non-Sarcopenia | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients, n (%) | 192 | 55 (28.6) | 137 (71.4) | |
| Age (years) | 69.0 (59.0–76.0) | 76.0 (71.0–80.0) | 65.0 (58.0–73.0) | <0.001 |
| Male, n (%) | 129 (67.2) | 32 (58.2) | 97 (70.8) | 0.092 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.7 (21.1–26.1) | 21.0 (19.0–22.6) | 24.5 (22.5–26.6) | <0.001 |
| Etiology | ||||
| HBV/HCV/Alcohol/other, n | 18/66/63/45 | 3/30/12/10 | 15/36/51/35 | 0.003 |
| Child–Pugh A/B + C, n | 129/63 | 35/20 | 94/43 | 0.507 |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dL) | 0.9 (0.6–1.3) | 0.8 (0.5–1.4) | 0.9 (0.7–1.3) | 0.417 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 3.8 (3.4–4.2) | 3.7 (3.1–4.2) | 3.9 (3.5–4.3) | 0.035 |
| Prothrombin time (%) | 81 (67–94) | 82 (68–100) | 81 (67–92) | 0.524 |
| IGF-1 (ng/mL) | 55 (41–73) | 45 (33–55) | 61 (47–77) | <0.001 |
| BCAA (µmol/L) | 399 (330–475) | 321 (293–397) | 425 (376–492) | <0.001 |
| BCAA supplementation, n (%) | 36 (18.8) | 11 (20.0) | 25 (18.2) | 0.779 |
| Zinc (µg/dL) | 63 (54–74) | 62 (48–73) | 65 (55–74) | 0.111 |
| SMI (kg/m2) | ||||
| ALL patients | 6.95 (5.98–7.87) | 5.65 (4.99–6.44) | 7.34 (6.59–8.22) | <0.001 |
| Male | 7.34 (6.79–8.25) | 6.32 (5.69–6.80) | 7.80 (7.14–8.46) | <0.001 |
| Female | 5.87 (5.21–6.48) | 5.09 (4.55–5.39) | 6.24 (5.89–6.74) | <0.001 |
| Handgrip strength (kg) | ||||
| ALL patients | 25.9 (18.3–35.3) | 17.3 (14.5–23.4) | 31.0 (23.3–37.2) | <0.001 |
| Male | 31.6 (25.0–37.5) | 22.1 (18.3–24.2) | 35.2 (30.1–40.0) | <0.001 |
| Female | 17.0 (14.2–21.9) | 14.6 (12.6–16.5) | 21.1 (15.3–23.4) | <0.001 |
| Gait speed (m/s) | 1.06 (0.86–1.26) | 0.80 (0.61–0.97) | 1.12 (1.02–1.34) | <0.001 |
| Slow gait speed, n (%) | 73 (38.0) | 44 (80.0) | 29 (21.2) | <0.001 |
Values are shown as median (interquartile range) or number (percentage). Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-squared test or the Mann–Whitney U test, as appropriate. BCAA, branched-chain amino acid; BMI, body mass index; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; SMI, skeletal muscle mass index.