Sarcopenia is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often have low weight, malnutrition and sarcopenia. The criteria of sarcopenia used were European and American standards previously. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in patients with IBD using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS2019) criteria. METHODS: The inclusion of the subjects was IBD patients between 18 to 60 years. Sarcopenia, pre-sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were defined. Participants were followed up for 90 days. Information as to whether the symptoms improved, treatment plans changed, underwent surgery, were readmitted to the hospital, or died was recorded. Analyses of chi-square test, t-test, cumulative survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were done through SPSS25.0 software. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients with IBD were included. The prevalence of pre-sarcopenia was 44.6% and of sarcopenia 50.8%. Body mass index (BMI) (P=0.018; OR =0.449) and albumin (Alb) levels were lower (P=0.004; OR =0.608) in the sarcopenia group than the control and pre-sarcopenia groups, and they were risk factors for sarcopenia. Meanwhile, a history of more frequent alcohol consumption, parenteral manifestations, IBD-related complications, higher C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were significant statistic different for sarcopenia group compared with others. Rates of surgery (P<0.001; OR =6.651), re-hospitalization (P<0.001; OR =6.344) or death (P=0.003) were higher in the sarcopenia group than in the control group. The sarcopenia group had higher rates of surgery (P=0.022; OR =3.608) and re-hospitalization (P=0.048; OR =5.500) than the pre-sarcopenia group after adjustment analysis. Patients in the sarcopenic obesity group with body fat percentages ≥24.8% (P=0.039; 95% CI: 0.590–1.000) in men and ≥32.0% (P=0.006; 95% CI: 0.692–1.000) in women were more likely to receive surgery, female patients with that ≥24.5% (P=0.025; 95% CI: 0.556–1.000) were more likely to experience re-hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IBD diagnosed with sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity based on AWGS2019 criteria had poorer outcomes. The AWGS2019 criteria are comprehensive and more suitable for predicting outcomes in IBD patients, which helps doctors making precise treatment.