Alcohol-associated liver disease increases the risk of muscle loss and mortality in patients with cirrhosis

Rapid skeletal muscle loss adversely affects the clinical outcomes of liver cirrhosis. However, the relationships between the annual changes in skeletal muscle area (ΔSMA/year) and the etiology of cirrhosis, factors associated with muscle loss, and risk of mortality remains unclear.

A total of 384 patients who underwent multiple computed tomography (CT) scans between March 2004 and June 2021 were enrolled in this study (median age, 67 years; 64% men; median model for end-stage liver disease score, 9). Body composition and ΔSMA/year were estimated using a 3D image analysis system and data from at least two distinct CT scans. Differences in ΔSMA/year among different etiologies of cirrhosis, factors associated with rapid muscle loss (defined as ΔSMA/year ≤  − 3.1%), and the association between ΔSMA/year and mortality were examined.

Patients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) cirrhosis experienced more rapid muscle loss (ΔSMA/year, − 5.7%) than those with hepatitis B (ΔSMA/year, − 2.8%) and hepatitis C cirrhosis (ΔSMA/year, − 3.1%). ALD cirrhosis was independently associated with ΔSMA/year ≤  − 3.1% after adjusting for age, sex, and liver functional reserve. Over a median follow-up period of 3.8 years, ALD cirrhosis, ΔSMA/year ≤  − 3.1%, and low subcutaneous adipose tissue level were found to be significantly associated with reduced survival. ALD cirrhosis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12–5.28) and ΔSMA/year ≤  − 3.1% (HR, 3.68; 95% CI 2.46–5.52) were also predictive of mortality.

These results suggest that ALD cirrhosis increases the risk of rapid muscle loss and mortality in affected patients.