Value of sarcopenia as an imaging biomarker in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)

Motivation: Sarcopenia has been associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes in patients with chronic diseases. Goal(s): To evaluate sarcopenia as a prognostic biomarker in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Approach: Muscle mass was measured in 231 PSC patients at the level of L3 and correlated with patient demographics, clinical scores and clinical endpoints. Results: Sarcopenia was more prevalent in women and in patients without concomitant inflammatory bowel disease. Muscle mass significantly correlated negatively with the MELD score, but not with solid clinical endpoints. Impact: While sarcopenia is highly prevalent in PSC patients, imaging-based quantification of muscle mass seems to be of limited prognostic value.