Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Liver Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Chronic liver disease is often combined with a morbidity burden that strongly affects the functional domain. In liver cirrhosis (LC), qualitative and quantitative muscle wasting, known as sarcopenia, poses an added clinical burden, together with comorbidities and a poor quality of life.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of sarcopenia in LC. The literature was screened through 6 electronic databases from the study's inception to January 2023. No exclusion criteria were applied to language, operative tools for diagnosing sarcopenia, population age, general health status, country, and study setting (cohort or cross-sectional). Two independent researchers applied the inclusion criteria in parallel to evaluate the eligibility of the 44 retrieved articles; only 36 met the eligibility requirements.

The total sample (N = 8,821) was slightly dominated by men (N = 4,941). The cross-sectional design predominated over the longitudinal, and the hospital setting was prevalent. The pooled prevalence of sarcopenia across the selected studies was 33% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-0.34), with high heterogeneity ( I2 = 96%). A further meta-analysis using the Child-Pugh (CP) score to stage LC was conducted on 24 entries, and the results showed that for the LC populations classified with the CP-A, CP-B, and CP-C staging, respectively, the overall mean prevalence was 33% (95% CI 0.31-0.35), 36% (95% CI 0.34-0.39) and 46% (95% CI 0.43-0.50). The risk of bias was moderate. In LC, 1 in 3 patients suffers sarcopenia.

Poor management of muscle mass loss plays a role in the prognosis of death and quality of life of patients with LC. Clinicians in the field are recommended, when screening for sarcopenia, to pay close attention by carefully assessing body composition as part of the monitoring scheme.