PD253 - PREVALENCE OF SARCOPENIA IN PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE ICU AND ITS PROGRESSION DURING HOSPITALIZATION

PD253

PREVALENCE OF SARCOPENIA IN PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE ICU AND ITS PROGRESSION DURING HOSPITALIZATION

I. Isern Alsina^1,*, M. D. M. Fernández Fernández¹, M. Rabaneda Vergara¹, A. Simó Servat², M. Ibarra², F. J. González de Molina¹, E. Piacentini¹, J. M. García Barrionuevo³, J. Trenado Álvarez¹

¹ICU, ²Endocrinology, ³Radiology, Hospital Universitari Mútua de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain

 

Rationale: With rising life expectancy, sarcopenic ICU admissions are increasing. SARC-F tracks function, while BIA measures mass—requiring correction for overhydration to avoid errors. While mass thresholds exist, quadriceps ultrasound is still being evaluated. This study aims to describe sarcopenia prevalence at ICU admission using Rectus Femoris Cross-Sectional Area (RF-CSA) ultrasound and BIA.

Methods: Prospective, observational study in a mixed ICU, between May-December 2025, approved by the Ethics Committee with written consent from a relative.

Patients >18 years old, within the first 48 hours and an expected need for mechanical ventilation (MV) >48 hours.

Results: 40 patients, median age 59.5 (±12.5), 22% women. Mean BMI was 28 (±6.45). Median MV duration 15 days (±15); 12 patients required tracheostomy. 37.5% mortality.

Mean SARC-F score was 2 (±3), with 8 patients scoring ≥4. BIA parameters were: FFM 59 kg (±10) and ASM 25 kg (±5). 16% of men (5) and 20% of women (2) met sarcopenia criteria based on ASM.

Pearson’s correlation between RF-CSA and BIA (FFM) was 0.57 (p < 0.001). ROC analysis for sarcopenia detection showed an AUC of 0.733. A cutoff point of <3 cm² in the RF-CSA detected sarcopenia with 83% sensitivity and 43% specificity.

At day 7, correlation between the percentage difference (Day 1–7) of BIA and RF-CSA was r = 0.49 (p >0.05). Mean decrease in RF-CSA was 25% (±25.5) and for BIA, 22.36% (±25) (p>0.05). Linear regression between muscle loss and MV days was not significant (p>0.05).

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Conclusion: Detection of sarcopenia using the SARC-F score reflects a functional deficit. However, evaluating functionality in critically ill patients is difficult; therefore, estimating muscle mass volume serves as a reliable proxy.

Rectus femoris ultrasound is a useful tool, comparable to BIA, for estimating the body composition of patients both upon ICU admission and throughout their clinical course.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared