Research
Mixed
Sarcopenia in liver transplant candidates is defined by a Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) <50 cm2/m2 in men and <39 cm2/m2 in women, measured via CT at L3, and is a strong predictor of adverse outcomes including mortality and complications.
If you have cirrhosis and are being evaluated for a liver transplant, ask your care team about getting a CT scan to measure your muscle mass (SMI). This is a standard part of the evaluation and helps predict your risk for complications. It is not just about how you look, but the actual muscle tissue measured at the L3 vertebra.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Cut-off values for sarcopenia, defined as SMI <50 cm2/m2 in male and <39 cm2/m2 in female patients constitute the validated definition for sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis.
Why this rating
Based on multi-center studies and expert consensus guidelines.
Source
A North American Expert Opinion Statement on Sarcopenia in Liver Transplantation
Elizabeth J. Carey et al. · Hepatology · 2019
DOI 10.1002/hep.30828
clinical_guidelineCited 239×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Sarcopenia should not be the sole criterion for declining or de-listing candidates for liver transplantation; it should be considered in the full context of other medical and psychosocial factors.Strong
- Management of sarcopenia in cirrhosis requires a multi-pronged approach including specific nutritional targets (35 kcal/kg, 1.2-1.5 g/kg protein) and exercise (150-200 mins/week), with late-evening snacks recommended.Good
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