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Combination of Frailty and Sarcopenia Predicts Peri-operative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation: Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

  • 0Liver Institute Northwest, 3216 NE 45th Pl Suite 212, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
Digestive Diseases and Sciences +

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August 1, 2025

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August 1, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Combined frailty and sarcopenia significantly increase mortality risk in liver transplant (LT) patients. Early identification and intervention for these conditions are crucial for improving outcomes in LT candidates.

Area Of Science

  • Hepatology
  • Transplantation Medicine
  • Geriatrics

Background

  • Sarcopenia and frailty are linked to poor outcomes in liver disease patients.
  • Their impact on perioperative liver transplantation (LT) outcomes remains understudied.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To evaluate the effect of physical frailty and sarcopenia on hospitalization outcomes in patients undergoing liver transplantation.

Main Methods

  • Analysis of adult LT recipients from the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample database.
  • Stratification into groups based on the presence of sarcopenia and/or frailty (defined by Hospital Frailty Risk Score and muscle-loss phenotype).
  • Logistic and linear regression analyses to compare in-hospital mortality, complications, length of stay, and costs, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results

  • High prevalence of frailty (35%), sarcopenia (7.6%), or both (29.2%) among 34,405 LT recipients.
  • Patients with combined frailty and sarcopenia exhibited higher in-hospital mortality (4.6%), periprocedural complications (79.4%), and non-routine discharge (71.4%).
  • Combined frailty and sarcopenia were associated with significantly higher odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR 4.06, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

  • Combined frailty and sarcopenia significantly increase the risk of mortality in hospitalized patients undergoing liver transplantation.
  • Increased awareness and interventions targeting these risk factors are recommended prior to LT.

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