Sarcopenia and inflammation in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Introduction: in individuals with chronic kidney disease, sarcopenia is prevalent and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and the occurrence of cardiovascular complications.

Objective: to verify the relationship between sarcopenia and inflammation in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: a cross-sectional study with 209 patients in five hemodialysis units. Demographic, socioeconomic, body composition, clinical laboratory, and functional data were collected. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (grip strength < 27 kg for men and < 16 kg for women; DEXA muscle mass < 7.0 kg/m² for men and < 5.5 kg/m² for women). Inflammation was assessed by C-reactive protein.

Results: mean age was 51.9 ± 15.0 years, with a predominance of males (59.3 %). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 29.1 % and that of inflammation was 50.2 %. A Poisson regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was associated with increased hsCRP values (PR: 1.06; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.10; p-value = 0.005); BMI (PR: 0.74; 95 % CI: 0.65-0.84; p-value < 0.001); age (PR: 1.02; 95 % CI: 1.00-1.03; p < 0.001); male (PR: 5.75; 95 % CI: 3.20-10.34; p-value < 0.001); presence of DM (PR: 1.87; 95 % CI: 1.27-2.74; p-value < 0.001); % body fat (PR: 1.07; 95 % CI: 1.04-1.09; p-value < 0.001).

Conclusion: the prevalence of sarcopenia can be considered high in this study, as well as inflammation. Being inflamed, presence of DM, being male, increasing age, and % body fat were risk factors for sarcopenia. On the other hand, increased BMI had a protective role.