Study investigating the role of skeletal muscle mass estimation in metastatic XXXX .

@entity1 @entity5 @entity3085 @entity1745 @entity121
BACKGROUND: Age-related loss of functional muscle mass is associated with reduced functional ability and life expectancy. In disseminated @entity5 , age-related @entity121 may be exacerbated by @entity3085 and poor nutritional intake, increasing functional decline, morbidity and accelerate death. @entity1 with spinal metastases frequently present for decompressive surgery with decision to operate based upon functional assessment. A subjective assessment of physical performance has, however, been shown to be a poor indicator of life expectancy in these @entity1 . We aimed to develop an objective measure based upon lean muscle mass to aid decision making, in these individuals, by investigating the association between muscle mass and 1-year survival. METHODS: Muscle mass was calculated as total psoas area (TPA)/ vertebral body area (VBA), by two independent blinded doctors from CT images, acquired within 7  days of spinal metastases surgery, at the mid L3 vertebral level. Outcome at 1  year following surgery was recorded from a prospectively updated metastatic @entity1745 database. RESULTS: 86 @entity1 were followed for 1  year, with an overall mortality of 39.5  %. Mortality rates at 1  year were significantly high among @entity1 in the lowest quartile of muscle mass, compared with those in the highest quartile (57.1 vs 23.8  %, p  =  0.02). CONCLUSION: Death within 1  year in individuals with spinal metastases is related to lean muscle mass at presentation. Assessment of lean muscle mass may inform decision to operate in @entity1 with spinal metastases.
