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Skeletal muscle quality as assessed by CT-derived skeletal muscle density is associated with 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Muscle quantity at intensive care unit (ICU) admission has been independently associated with mortality. In addition to quantity, muscle quality may be important for survival. Muscle quality is influenced by fatty infiltration or myosteatosis, which can be assessed on computed tomography (CT) scans by analysing skeletal muscle density (SMD) and the amount of intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). We investigated whether CT-derived low skeletal muscle quality at ICU admission is independently associated with 6-month mortality and other clinical outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study included 491 mechanically ventilated critically ill adult patients with a CT scan of the abdomen made 1 day before to 4 days after ICU admission. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association between SMD or IMAT and 6-month mortality, with adjustments for Acute Physiological, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, body mass index (BMI), and skeletal muscle area. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used for other clinical outcomes. RESULTS: ; p = 0.004). Higher SMD was associated with a lower 6-month mortality (hazard ratio (HR) per 10 HU, 0.640; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.552-0.742; p < 0.001), and also after correction for APACHE II score, BMI, and skeletal muscle area (HR, 0.774; 95% CI, 0.643-0.931; p = 0.006). Higher IMAT was not significantly associated with higher 6-month mortality after adjustment for confounders. A 10 HU increase in SMD was associated with a 14% shorter hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Low skeletal muscle quality at ICU admission, as assessed by CT-derived skeletal muscle density, is independently associated with higher 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated patients. Thus, muscle quality as well as muscle quantity are prognostic factors in the ICU. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered (initial release on 06/23/2016) at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02817646 .
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“Low skeletal-derived muscle density has been linked to higher 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated patients, implying that muscle quality as well as muscle quantity are prognostic factors in intensive care units (Looijaard et al., 2016).”
From Myosteatosis in the Context of Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit: An Interdisciplinary Workshop at the National Institute on Aging (2020) · cites this paper as Looijaard et al., 2016
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“Muscle mass can be evaluated by ultrasound [18], computerized tomography scan [19], or bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) [20].”
From ESPEN practical and partially revised guideline: Clinical nutrition in the intensive care unit (2023) · cites this paper as [19]
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“In a retrospective study, Song et al. (167) showed a significant improvement in ICU outcomes of ventilated critically ill patients receiving > 90% of target protein intake.”
From ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in the intensive care unit. (2019) · cites this paper as [167]
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“Low skeletal-derived muscle density has been linked to higher 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated patients, implying that muscle quality as well as muscle quantity are prognostic factors in intensive care units (Looijaard et al., 2016).”
From Myosteatosis in the Context of Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit: An Interdisciplinary Workshop at the National Institute on Aging (2020) · cites this paper as Looijaard et al., 2016
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“Low muscle density has also been associated with poor survival and increased risk of hospitalization (Cawthon et al., 2009; Looijaard et al., 2016).”
From Myosteatosis in the Context of Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit: An Interdisciplinary Workshop at the National Institute on Aging (2020) · cites this paper as Looijaard et al., 2016
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Metadata
- Authors
- Looijaard, W. G. P. M., Dekker, I. M., Stapel, S. N., Girbes, A. R. J., Twisk, J. W. R., Oudemans-van Straaten, H. M., & Weijs, P. J. M.
- Affiliations
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences (NL)
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Looijaard, Wilhelmus G. P. M.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Critical Care
- Published
- 2016-12
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 386-386
- ISSN
- 1364-8535 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5131531
- OpenAlex
- W2556942267
- Cited by
- 218
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 7
- FWCI
- 12.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Critical Care (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Baxter Healthcare Corporation (US) (Research grant GHOL6290)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine › Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Keywords
- skeletal muscle quality, skeletal muscle density, intermuscular adipose tissue, myosteatosis, critically ill patients, mechanical ventilation, 6-month mortality, prognostic factors, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Length of Stay, Male, Middle Aged, Respiration, Artificial, Retrospective Studies, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Proportional Hazards Models, Critical Illness, Muscle, Skeletal, Statistics, Nonparametric, APACHE, Abdominal Wall
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