Low thoracic skeletal muscle area is not associated with negative outcomes in patients with COVID-19.

Moctezuma-Velázquez, Paulina; Miranda-Zazueta, Godolfino; Ortiz-Brizuela, Edgar; González-Lara, María Fernanda; Tamez-Torres, Karla Maria; Román-Montes, Carla Marina; Díaz-Mejía, Bruno Alejandro; Pérez-García, Esteban; Villanueva-Reza, Marco; Tovar-Méndez, Víctor Hugo; Medrano-Borromeo, Carla; Martínez-Valenzuela, Alejandra; Jandete-Medina, Míguel Ángel; Martínez-Guerra, Bernardo Alonso; Uscanga-Domínguez, Luis; Sifuentes-Osornio, José; Ponce-de-León, Alfredo; Olivas-Martinez, Antonio; Moctezuma-Velázquez, Carlos

OBJECTIVE Sarcopenia has been related to negative outcomes in different clinical scenarios from critical illness to chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to verify if there was an association between low skeletal muscle index (SMI) and in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) need in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study of a referral center for COVID-19. We included all consecutive patients admitted to the hospital between February 26 and May 15, 2020 with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. SMI was assessed from a transverse computed tomography image at the level of T12 with NIH ImageJ software, statistical analysis was done to find an association between SMI and in-hospital mortality, need of IMV, and ICU admission. RESULTS We included 519 patients, median age was 51 (42-61) years, 115 patients (22%) had low SMI. On multivariable analysis, SMI was not associated with mortality, ICU admission or IMV need, nor in a sub analysis of patients > 65 years. CONCLUSIONS SMI determined by CT at the level of twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) was not associated with negative outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.