Muscle function loss is associated with anxiety in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

Abstract

To verify the prevalence of patients with muscle function loss (MFL) and whether it is associated with anxiety and depression scores in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients. A cross-sectional study with seventy-one adult GI cancer patients was conducted. The MFL was evaluated by the SARC-F questionnaire, and participants were divided into MFL (cut-off ≥4 SARC-F) and normal muscle function (NMF) groups (cut-off <4 SARC-F). Anxiety and depression were analyzed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). From 71 patients, 25.4% (n=18) were classified as MFL and 74.6% (n=53) as NMF. Body weight was lower in the MFL group when compared to the NMF group (MFL: 57.6±11.3 vs. NMF: 64.8±11.6kg, p=0.032). MFL showed higher anxiety (MFL: 7.5 (0-21) vs. NMF: 2 (0-17), p=0.030) and depression scores (MFL: 6.5 (0-13) vs. NMF: 2 (0-17), p=0.034) compared to NMF. A positive correlation between the SARC-F and the anxiety (r=0.34, p=0.004) and depression score (r=0.32, p=0.006) was found. When adjusted by sex and body weight, MFL saw an increase with the anxiety score (OR: 1.15 95%CI(1.01-1.31), p=0.023), but not with the depression score. In addition, LMF was responsible for anxiety in 12% of the population. In our study, 25% of GI cancer patients presented LMF and an association with the anxiety score.