Efficiency of Bioelectric Impedance Analysis as an Evaluation Method of Skeletal Muscle Mass After Gastrectomy

Abstract

Objective: This study measured skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in postoperative gastric cancer patients, to compare SMM to traditional postoperative assessment based on anthropomorphic measures and blood tests, and evaluated the methods of SMM measurement. Summary of Background Data: SMM, which helps to maintain general health and quality of life, is very important. Measurement of total psoas major muscle area (TPA) by computed tomography imaging has recently been reported to be a useful index of SMM. Methods: This retrospective study included 92 patients who underwent distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. SMM was measured by TPA index (computed tomography measurement of TPA / square of height) and bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). Patients were divided into short-term (<3 years) and long-term (≥3 years) postoperative follow-up groups. SMM and traditional postoperative assessment, as well as body mass index, albumin, hemoglobin, and total cholesterol, were compared between the 2 groups. The correlations between the TPA index and the SMM of BIA and traditional postoperative assessment were examined by simple regression analysis. Results: The SMM of BIA was 24.1 ± 4.1 kg in the short-term and 22.0 ± 4.7 kg in the long-term group (P = 0.02), and TPA index was 783.4 ± 166.9 mm2/m2 in the short-term and 687.5 ± 167.2 mm2/m2 in the long-term group (P = 0.01), whereas there were no significant differences in traditional postoperative assessment. On simple regression analysis, TPA index showed the strongest correlation with SMM of BIA (R = 0.56). Conclusions: Measurement of SMM is essential because the traditional postoperative assessments do not reflect the change in SMM. And SMM measurement, especially by BIA, would be useful.