Does the thickness of temporal muscle indicate sarcopenia and functional outcome in older patients with acute stroke?

Aging, inactivity, malnutrition and diseases cause sarcopenia and stroke is an important reason of sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to determine the sarcopenia and to evaluate the relationship between functional outcome and temporal muscle thickness using brain CT in older acute stroke patients.

A retrospective study was conducted with acute stroke patients in a single neurology clinic. A total of 114 patients aged 65 years and older were included. Temporal muscle thickness was measured manually using brain computed tomography on admission and third month. Sarcopenia risk and modified Rankin scale scores at 3 months after stroke were assessed.

The mean temporal muscle thickness was 5.85±0.96 on admission and 5.67±0.97 on third month in the entire group (p=0.004). Patients with sarcopenia risk score ≥4 on third month, the mean temporal muscle thickness was 5.63±1.02 and 5.32±0.98 on admission and 3rd month respectively (p<0.001). There was a significant correlation between baseline temporal muscle thickness and age (r=-0.728, p<0.001) and body mass index (r= 0.360 , p=0.017). 23 patients (20.1%) had poor functional outcome at 3 months after stroke (mRS>3). A significant correlation was found between temporal muscle thickness on admission and the third month modified Rankin scale score (r=-0.613, p<0.001).

Measurement of temporal muscle thickness using brain CT in stroke patients may be a useful method for muscle mass determination and treatment of sarcopenia.