Abstract Background Sarcopenia is characterized by significant muscle loss that leads to impaired muscle function, impacting patients’ ability to cope with stressors such as infections and postoperative complications. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a high prevalence of sarcopenia, estimated at 40–60%. However, data on treatment-refractory patients are limited. The purpose of this study is to detect the prevalence of sarcopenia among patients experiencing treatment-refractory disease and to evaluate whether colectomy results in improved nutritional status. Methods This prospective study included IBD patients referred for colectomy with a one-year follow-up. Sarcopenia was evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) and grip strength measurements. Robustness was assessed using the Liver Frailty Index (LFI). Results The mean age of the patients was 41 years (range: 21–67), with the study population comprising 9 males and 11 females. The prevalence of sarcopenia was detected in 13 out of 20 patients (65%) prior to colectomy. Following the procedure, among the 14 patients included in the one-year follow-up, 4 (29%) continued to exhibit sarcopenia. LFI indicated that 5 patients were robust, while 13 were classified as pre-frail prior to surgery; post-colectomy, a trend toward improvement was noted, with 8 patients achieving robust status and 4 remaining pre-frail (p = 0.0799). The LFI indicated a reduction in frailty scores postoperatively, suggesting improvements in the nutritional status of patients (p = 0.06). Conclusion This study indicates a high prevalence of sarcopenia among patients with treatment-refractory IBD. Colectomy appears to have the potential to improve nutritional status and muscle strength; however, the prevalence of sarcopenia remains significant one year post-surgery. Conflict of interest: Karlsson, Madeleine: No conflict of interest Hermanson, Maria: No conflict of interest Bajor, Antal: No conflict of interest Papachrysos, Nikolaos: No conflict of interest Dr. Varkey, Jonas: Funding was provided through the Bengt Ihre Research Fellowship and supported by the regional R&D funding program (VGFOUREG-1013291), the Gothenburg Society of Medicine (GLS-999889), and the FoU program for healthcare areas covered by NHV licensing (NHV-995189). Additionally, grants from ALFGBG-1015650 were received from the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the county councils.
Karlsson et al. (Thu,) studied this question.