Muscle changes on muscle ultrasound and adverse outcomes in acute hospitalized older adults.

OBJECTIVES

Muscle ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that enables identification of the quantity and quality of muscle tissue. It has been used not only for diagnosis of sarcopenia but also for prediction of outcomes in clinical practice. There is now increasing awareness that muscle changes detected during acute hospitalization indicate acute sarcopenia leading to worse outcomes. However, to our knowledge, few studies have investigated this in hospitalized older adults. The aim of this study was to determine whether muscle changes on muscle ultrasound can predict poor outcomes in acute hospitalized older adults.

METHODS

This prospective, observational cohort study involved 145 acute hospitalized older adults. Bilateral anterior thigh thickness (BATT), echo intensity (EI), and corrected EI of the quadriceps were assessed on admission and 7 d later. The primary outcome was mortality, and the secondary outcomes were hospital-associated complications and decline in activities of daily living (ADLs) at 3 mo after discharge.

RESULTS

Changes in BATT, EI, and corrected EI at 7 d after admission were found in 0.2%, 0.0%, and 0.2% of cases, respectively. The respective rates for mortality, hospital-associated complications, and ADL decline were 8.7%, 52.8%, and 43%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the BATT value at admission tended to be associated with mortality. Changes in BATT, EI, and collected EI were not associated with adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute muscle changes on muscle ultrasound were not associated with mortality, ADL decline, or hospital-associated complications in acute hospitalized older adults. More research in various settings is needed to clarify the value of muscle ultrasound in clinical practice.

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