Correlation between Psoas Muscle Measurements Using Computed Tomography and Hospital Stay of Pulmonary Embolism Patients

Introduction: Sarcopenia, characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass, is linked to aging and chronic diseases and is associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. The psoas muscle index (PMI), derived from computed tomography (CT) scans, can serve as a marker for sarcopenia. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between PMI measured by CT and hospital stay duration in pulmonary embolism (PE) patients, considering death status as a prognostic factor. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using data from 2021-2022 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. Medical records of 66 PE patients were reviewed and grouped based on comorbidity status: no comorbidity (7), cancerous/malignant (33), and non-malignant/chronic medical illness patients (26). Psoas muscle measurements were obtained using axial CT images at the L4 vertebra. PMI was calculated, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24.0 to assess the correlation between PMI and hospital stay duration. Results: The mortality rate was significantly higher in cancerous/malignant patients (57.6%) compared to non-malignant (30.8%) and no comorbidity patients (0%). After excluding patients who died, the analysis focused on 38 surviving patients. PMI was significantly higher in male patients (7.4 ± 2.32) compared to female patients (5.65 ± 1.6). Psoas muscle measurements tended to be lower in cancerous patients, though differences between groups were not statistically significant. A significant positive correlation between LPMH and hospital stay was observed in the no comorbidity group (r = 0.847, P < 0.05), while significant correlations between PMI, LPMW, LPMA, and hospital stay were noted in cancerous/malignant patients. Conclusion: PMI and other psoas muscle measurements correlated with hospital stay in PE patients, particularly in cancerous/malignant and no-comorbidity groups. These findings suggest PMI could serve as a prognostic marker for hospital stay duration in PE patients, especially when factoring in sarcopenia and comorbidities.