Rationale: Patients with cancer of the upper gastrointestinal tract or lung are more likely to present with malnutrition at diagnosis than, for instance, patients with melanoma. Low muscle mass is an indicator of malnutrition and can be determined by computed tomography (CT) analysis of the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3) level. However, CT images at L3 are not always available. At each vertebra level, we determined if type of cancer, i.e., head and neck cancer (HNC), oesophageal cancer (OC) or lung cancer (LC) vs. melanoma (ME) was associated with lower SMI. Methods: CT images from adult patients with HNC, OC, LC or ME were included and analyzed. Scans were performed in the patient’s initial staging after diagnosis. MIM software version 7.0.1 was used to contour the muscle areas for all vertebra levels. Skeletal muscle area was corrected for stature to calculate SMI (cm2/m2). We tested for the association of HNC, OC, or LC diagnosis vs ME with SMI by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. In the multivariate analyses, age (years), sex, and body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) were included. Betas (B;95%CI) were calculated and statistical significance was set at p
Rationale: Sarcopenia and obesity are prevalent conditions and are both associated with negative health outcomes. ESPEN and EASO reached consensus on the definition and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity (SO) encompassing indicators fat mass, muscle mass, and muscle function. However, few studies report on the effect of lifestyle interventions on these SO indicators. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of combined lifestyle interventions on SO indicators and on a composite SO index.Methods: Analyses were performed on two pooled RCT’s (MPS, PROBE) in older adults with obesity participating in a 13-wk program targeting weight loss while preserving muscle mass, providing a combination of caloric restriction, higher protein intake and resistance exercise training. SO indicators measured at baseline and post-intervention included 5x chair stand test (CST) in seconds for muscle function, fat mass percentage (FM%) and appendicular lean mass divided by body weight (ALM/W) using DXA. The SO index was calculated using sex-specific z-scores: -CST(s) + ALM/W – FM%; higher scores indicating better muscle function and body composition. Mixed model analyses were performed to assess the changes from baseline to post-intervention, adjusted for sex and age.Results: A total of 154 participants (age 65±6y; 59% male, BMI 33.1±4.3kg/m2) were included. After the 13-wk lifestyle interventions, weight (-2.87kg 95%CI -4.16;-1.64) and FM% (-1.81% 95%CI -2.42;-1.21) decreased significantly, CST improved significantly (-1.51s 95%CI -2.02;-1.00) from baseline and ALM/W was maintained (0kg/kg 95%CI 0.01;0.01). The SO index improved (+1.16 z-score 95%CI 0.86;1.44).Conclusion: Lifestyle interventions combining nutrition & exercise improved individual SO indicators and the SO index in older adults with obesity. The SO index could be a useful and sensitive criterion in the prevention and management of sarcopenic obesity.
ObjectivesBody weight and muscle mass loss following an acute hospitalization in older patients may be influenced by malnutrition and sarcopenia among other factors. This study aimed to assess the changes in body weight and composition from admission to discharge and the geriatric variables associated with the changes in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients.DesignRESORT is an observational, longitudinal cohort.Setting and ParticipantsGeriatric rehabilitation inpatients admitted to geriatric rehabilitation wards at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia (N = 1006).MethodsChanges in body weight and body composition [fat mass (FM), appendicular lean mass (ALM)] from admission to discharge were analyzed using linear mixed models. Body mass index (BMI) categories, (risk of) malnutrition (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition), sarcopenia (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People), dependence in activities of daily living (ADL), multimorbidity, and cognitive impairment were tested as geriatric variables by which the changes in body weight and composition may differ.ResultsA total of 1006 patients [median age: 83.2 (77.7–88.8) years, 58.5% female] were included. Body weight, FM (kg), and FM% decreased (0.30 kg, 0.43 kg, and 0.46%, respectively) and ALM (kg) and ALM% increased (0.17 kg and 0.33%, respectively) during geriatric rehabilitation. Body weight increased in patients with underweight; decreased in patients with normal/overweight, obesity, ADL dependence and in those without malnutrition and sarcopenia. ALM% and FM% decreased in patients with normal/overweight. ALM increased in patients without multimorbidity and in those with malnutrition and sarcopenia; ALM% increased in patients without multimorbidity and with sarcopenia.Conclusions and ImplicationsIn geriatric rehabilitation, body weight increased in patients with underweight but decreased in patients with normal/overweight and obesity. ALM increased in patients with malnutrition and sarcopenia but not in patients without. This suggests the need for improved standard of care independent of patients’ nutritional risk.
