Reduced upper limb lean mass on dual energy X-ray absorptiometry predicts adverse outcomes in male liver transplant recipients

Abstract

BACKGROUND Pre-transplant muscle wasting measured by computed tomography has been associated with adverse clinical outcomes after liver transplantation including increased rates of sepsis and hospitalisation days. Upper limb lean mass (LM) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was recently identified as a novel predictor of sarcopenia-associated mortality in men waitlisted for transplantation. AIM To investigate the use of DEXA LM in predicting gender-stratified early post-transplant outcomes. METHODS Liver transplant recipients who underwent pre-transplant DEXA body composition imaging between 2002 and 2017 were included. Endpoints included post-transplant mortality and graft ..