Skeletal muscle quality as assessed by CT-derived skeletal muscle density is associated with 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients

Gil Ben-Horin
Published: Dec 16, 2016

A retrospective study at VU University Medical Center Amsterdam investigated whether computed tomography (CT)-derived low skeletal muscle quality at ICU admission is independently associated with 6-month mortality and other clinical outcomes, the first study to investigate the relation between CT-derived markers for muscle quality and outcome in ventilated critically ill patients. Patient data such as age, sex, weight, height, admission diagnosis, APACHE II score, length of ventilation, ICU length of stay and hospital length of stay, discharge destination, and ICU and hospital mortality was obtained from MetaVision. The authors conclude that “Low skeletal muscle quality at ICU admission, as assessed by skeletal muscle density on CT scans, is associated with higher 6-month mortality in mechanically ventilated patients, independent of muscle quantity, APACHE II score, and BMI. Low muscle quality was also associated with longer hospital length of stay in survivors. Therefore, muscle quality appears to be as important for outcome as muscle quantity. Future intervention studies, including nutrition and early exercise, should not only focus on preventing further deterioration of muscle quantity, but also of muscle quality.”

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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

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