Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Feb 4;61(2):268.
doi: 10.3390/medicina61020268.

Clinical Significance of Sarcopenia Defined by the Cross-Sectional Area of the Masseter Muscle in Cerebrovascular Events: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Fatih Seğmen  1 , Semih Aydemir  2 , Temel Kayan  1 , Firdevs Tuğba Bozkurt Biçer  1 , Cihangir Doğu  1 , Esra Yakışık Aktekin  1 , Deniz Erdem  1 , Elif Uzun Ata  3
Affiliations

Clinical Significance of Sarcopenia Defined by the Cross-Sectional Area of the Masseter Muscle in Cerebrovascular Events: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Fatih Seğmen et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of sarcopenia, defined by the cross-sectional area of the masseter muscle (CSA-M), as an early marker for sarcopenia diagnosis and its association with mortality in patients with cerebrovascular events (CVE). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 120 patients aged 65 years or older with CVE admitted to Bilkent City Hospital between September 2020 and September 2023 were included. Patients with malignancy, prior CVE, or incomplete data were excluded. Parameters such as CSA-M measured via brain CT, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, Nutritional Risk Score (NRS), duration of ICU and hospital stays, and 28-day mortality were evaluated. The CSA-M thresholds for sarcopenia were defined as <400 mm2 for men and <300 mm2 for women. Results: Sarcopenia prevalence was significantly associated with prolonged ICU (27.0 ± 33.1 days vs. 16.5 ± 22.4 days, p = 0.042) and hospital stays (34.8 ± 38.4 days vs. 21.3 ± 22.3 days, p = 0.017). Right and left CSA-M values were significantly lower in sarcopenic patients (p < 0.001). ROC analysis revealed CSA-M cut-off values of <300 mm2 (AUC = 0.82) for men and <295 mm2 (AUC = 0.83) for women as strong predictors of sarcopenia. Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant association between CSA-M and 28-day mortality (p < 0.05). Sarcopenia also correlated with lower albumin levels, a higher prevalence of ischemic stroke, and increased mechanical ventilation needs. Conclusions: CSA-M measured via brain CT is a reliable marker for sarcopenia and a predictor of clinical outcomes in CVE patients. Early identification and management of sarcopenia could improve patient prognosis. Further research is warranted to explore its potential in broader clinical contexts.

Keywords: cerebrovascular events; cross-sectional area; intensive care; masseter muscle; mortality; nutritional status; sarcopenia; stroke.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
ROC analysis results in patients with sarcopenia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. GBD 2019 Stroke Collaborators Global, regional, and national burden of stroke and its risk factors, 1990–2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet Neurol. 2021;20:795–820. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00252-0. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sayer A.A., Cruz-Jentoft A. Sarcopenia definition, diagnosis and treatment: Consensus is growing. Age Ageing. 2022;51:afac220. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afac220. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cruz-Jentoft A.J., Bahat G., Bauer J., Boirie Y., Bruyere O., Cederholm T., Cooper C., Landi F., Rolland Y., Sayer A.A., et al. Sarcopenia: Revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019;48:16–31. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afy169. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Su Y., Yuki M., Otsuki M. Prevalence of stroke-related sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Stroke Cerebrovasc. Dis. 2020;29:105092. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105092. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jaitovich A., Dumas C.L., Itty R., Chieng H.C., Khan M., Naqvi A., Fantauzzi J., Hall J.B., Feustel P.J., Judson M.A. ICU admission body composition: Skeletal muscle, bone, and fat effects on mortality and disability at hospital discharge-a prospective, cohort study. Crit. Care. 2020;24:566. doi: 10.1186/s13054-020-03276-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources