Prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis – an observational study Authors Ammara Abdul Majeed National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Hafeezullah Shaikh National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Abdur Rasheed School of Public Health, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan Raheela Khalid National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Fakhar Ali Qazi Arisar National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Hafsa Ghias National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan DOI: https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.8461 Keywords: End-stage liver disease, Hand strength, Frailty, Potassium, Serum albumin Abstract Objectives: To identify the prevalence and predictors of sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients. Method: The observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Karachi, from January 30 to July 31, 2021, and comprised cirrhotic patients of either gender aged 18-60 years. Clinical and laboratory data was recorded for each patient. Body weight was adjusted for ascites. Sarcopenia was determined based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia-2019 guideline via hand grip strength and chair standing. Independent predictors for sarcopenia were identified. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Results: Out of 434 cirrhotic patients assessed, 386(89%) were enrolled. Of them, 237(61.4%) were males, 149(38.6%) were females, 327(84.7%) were aged >45 years and 201(52.1%) had moderate professional activity. Sarcopenia was detected in 314(81.3%) patients; 185(59%) males and 129(41%) females. Age, chair exercise and hand grip scores as well as haemoglobin, albumin and potassium levels were significantly associated with sarcopenia (p<0.05) Conclusion: Sarcopenia was found to be very common in patients with cirrhosis. Increasing age, concomitant comorbidities, and presence of liver decompensation increased the risk of sarcopenia. Key Words: End-stage liver disease, Hand strength, Frailty, Potassium, Serum albumin. Author Biographies Hafeezullah Shaikh, National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Assistant professor , NILGID, Dow University Hospital Abdur Rasheed, School of Public Health, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan Assistant professor, School of Public Health, Dow University of Health Sciences Fakhar Ali Qazi Arisar, National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Assistant professor , NILGID, Dow University Hospital Hafsa Ghias, National Institute of Liver and GI Diseases, Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan House officer at NILGID Downloads Full Text Article Published 2023-09-13 How to Cite Abdul Majeed, A., Hafeezullah Shaikh, Abdur Rasheed, Raheela Khalid, Fakhar Ali Qazi Arisar, & Hafsa Ghias. (2023). Prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis – an observational study. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 73(10), 2004–2008. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.8461 More Citation Formats ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver Download Citation Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX Issue Vol. 73 No. 10 (2023): OCTOBER Section RESEARCH ARTICLE License Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.