Sarcopenia in Liver Cirrhosis: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Background and aim: Liver diseases are associated with low testosterone. However, little is known about risk factors of changes in testosterone. This study determined skeletal mass index in liver cirrhosis and associated risk factors with the abnormal testosterone levels. Methods: In this descriptive hospital-based study, 50 patients with evidence of liver cirrhosis diagnosed on history, imaging and investigations were included for a period of 12 months. Sarcopenia was defined as value of ≤36.5 cm2/m2 in males and ≤30.2 cm2/m2 in females. Results: The mean age was 50.4±10.1 years. The most common symptom was abdominal distension (50%) followed by upper GI bleed (30%), altered sensorium (20%), and jaundice (10%). Majority of the patients (58%) in our study were in CTP class C, followed by 16 patients (32%) in CTP class B, and 5 patients (10%) in CTP class A. 66% of the patients had low skeletal mass index. SMI was not associated with CTP class (P=0.463). Conclusion: There is a significantly higher prevalence of loss of skeletal mass in liver cirrhotic patients in this region