Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advanced Integrated Model for Sepsis-Induced Myopathy and Single-Cell Metabolic Analysis
Published on: June 14, 2024
Decreasing skeletal muscle as a risk factor for mortality in elderly patients with sepsis: a retrospective cohort
Keita Shibahashi1, Kazuhiro Sugiyama1, Masahiro Kashiura1
1Department of Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital, 4-23-15, Kotobashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, 130-8575 Japan.
Background:
Older patients account for the majority of patients with sepsis. The objective of this study was to determine if decreased skeletal muscle mass is associated with outcomes in elderly patients with sepsis.
Methods:
Patients (60 years and older) who were admitted to a tertiary medical center intensive care unit with a primary diagnosis of sepsis between January 2012 and February 2016 were included. Patients who had not undergone abdominal computed tomography on the day of admission, had cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival, or had iliopsoas abscess were excluded from the analyses. Cross-sectional muscle area at the 3rd lumber vertebra was quantified, and the relation to in-hospital mortality was analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis that included sex and APACHE II score as explanatory variables was performed. The optimal cutoff value to define decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia) was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and the odds ratio for in-hospital mortality was determined.
Results:
There were 150 elderly patients with sepsis (median age, 75 years) enrolled; in-hospital mortality and median APACHE II score were 38.7 and 24%, respectively. The skeletal muscle area of deceased patients was significantly lower than that of the survival group (P < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that decreased muscle mass was significantly associated with increased mortality (odds ratio = 0.94, 95% confidence interval = 0.90 to 0.97, P < 0.001). The optimal cutoff value of skeletal muscle area to predict in-hospital mortality was 45.2 cm2 for men and 39.0 cm2 for women. With these cutoff values, the adjusted odds ratio for decreased muscle area was 3.27 (95% CI, 1.61 to 6.63, P = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Less skeletal muscle mass is associated with higher in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with sepsis. The results of this study suggest that identifying patients with low muscularity contributes to better stratification in this population.
More Related Videos
08:523D Ultrasound Imaging: Fast and Cost-effective Morphometry of Musculoskeletal Tissue
Published on: November 27, 2017
12:59Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
01:26Cross-bridge Cycle
01:21Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects
Unlike...
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion