Summary
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 294 studies (97,643 patients, 33,070 with sarcopenia) found that sarcopenia is a significant independent prognostic factor for poor surgical outcomes. Patients with sarcopenia experienced greater mortality, higher complication rates, prolonged hospital stays, and lower rates of discharge to home, with significantly reduced survival at 1, 3, and 5 years post-surgery across multiple surgical specialties.
UK applicability
These findings are directly applicable to UK surgical practice and patient risk stratification. Implementation of preoperative sarcopenia assessment could enhance patient selection and perioperative optimisation protocols in NHS surgical services.
Key measures
Complication occurrence (stratified by Clavien–Dindo classification), mortality, length of operation, length of hospital stay, discharge to home rates, postdischarge survival at 1/3/5 years
Outcomes reported
The study examined associations between sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) and perioperative and postoperative outcomes including mortality, complications, length of hospital stay, discharge to home, and survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years across all surgical specialties.
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