why choose us

300×250 Ad Slot

Research Article: Prognostic impact of low muscle mass and visceral adiposity in patients with cirrhosis undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: a retrospective cohort study

Date Published: 2026-07-02

Abstract:
The prognostic value of low muscle mass and visceral adiposity (LMM-VA) in patients with cirrhosis undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has not yet been investigated. We aimed to define LMM-VA using computed tomography-based skeletal muscle index (SMI) and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSR), and to examine its association with post-TIPS outcomes. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients with cirrhosis undergoing TIPS. LMM-VA was defined as the coexistence of low muscle mass (SMI?<?44.7?cm 2 /m 2 in males and < 32.5?cm 2 /m 2 in females) and visceral adiposity (VSR???1.21 in males and ? 0.48 in females). Associations between LMM-VA and post-TIPS outcomes were evaluated using cumulative incidence curves and univariable and multivariable regression models. A total of 228 patients with cirrhosis were included in the study, 54 (23.7%) of whom had LMM-VA. During a median follow-up of 29.2?months, patients with LMM-VA showed a significantly higher cumulative incidence of both all-cause mortality ( p <?0.001) and liver-related mortality ( p <?0.001). LMM-VA was significantly associated with post-TIPS all-cause mortality in both the univariable (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65–7.91) and multivariable Cox regression analyses (HR: 3.21, 95% CI: 1.32–7.80). Subgroup, sensitivity, and stratified analyses further confirmed the robustness of this association. Additionally, LMM-VA demonstrated an independent prognostic value for liver-related mortality but not for either new-onset or further decompensation. The significant association between LMM-VA and all-cause mortality was lost when LMM-VA was defined by either a visceral adipose tissue area of ? 100?cm 2 or body mass index of ? 25.0?kg/m 2 . LMM-VA is significantly associated with increased post-TIPS mortality in patients with cirrhosis and may serve as a promising prognostic marker that requires further validation.

Introduction:
Liver cirrhosis is the terminal stage of various chronic liver diseases, accounting for approximately 2.4% of global deaths and posing a major global health burden ( 1 ). The major etiologies of cirrhosis include viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, and the increasingly prevalent metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Cirrhosis can be classified into compensated and decompensated stages based on the occurrence of complications such as variceal bleeding, ascites, and hepatic…

Read more

300×250 Ad Slot