Psoas Muscle Index as a Predictor of Postoperative Outcomes in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Psoas muscle index as an index of sarcopenia has a notable role in anticipating the outcome of various disorders. This prospective study aims to explore the efficacy of psoas muscle index in predicting the surgical outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal tumors.Methods All gastrointestinal cancer patients hospitalized for surgical treatment at our hospital between 2020 and 2023 were studied. Linear regression analysis compared psoas muscle index, age, and body mass index regarding hospitalization time and hand grip strength. Pearson's correlation test determined the strength and direction of the correlation between psoas muscle index and hospitalization duration.Results A total of 64 patients with a mean age of 57 years were included in our study to examine the potential association between psoas muscle index and length of hospital stay. Only psoas muscle index, compared to body mass index and age, demonstrates a statistically significant correlation with hospitalization time (r=-0.444, p < 0.001, CI -0.333 to -0.103). In addition, the impact of gender on this association is not substantial. The study also explored the correlation between hand grip strength and psoas muscle index in 62 participants. There is a significant association between age and psoas muscle index with right-hand grip strength (p = 0.000 and p = 0.014) and left-hand grip strength (p = 0.002 and p = 0.013).Conclusion Psoas muscle index potently predicts surgical consequences in gastrointestinal cancer patients and is essential in identifying high-risk patients and considering the risk-benefit ratio of surgical interventions.