Handgrip strength in prediction of sarcopenia in Chronic HCV patient

Abstract

HCV infection is a major cause of chronic liver diseases and major indication for liver transplantation worldwide. Sarcopenia or loss of musculoskeletal mass is a substantial clinical problem that impact patient’s quality of life and survival. Sarcopenia in HCV related cirrhosis is important and frequently under estimated problem in spite of its considerable effect on patients prognosis. BMD is also impaired in HCV related cirrhotic patients, we assessed in this study HGS testing as an easy applicable tool for assessment of sarcopenia in HCV related Egyptian cirrhotic patients, in combination with DEXA and anthropometric and laboratory measurement to assess those patient globally aiming to validate this method (HGS) in the workup for cirrhotic patients. In 32 post hepatitis C cirrhotics, and 32 healthy control we found that HGS in Kg was able to detect sarrcopenia in 34.4% of cirrhotic patient versus 6.3% of the control group (P 0.005) and multivariate regression analysis showed that HGS is independent predictor of sarcopenia after adjustment of age and Child class (χ25.319, P< 0.02).