Abstract
Sarcopenia is a major sequela of cirrhosis, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. Advances in body composition analysis using medical imaging have begun to identify changes in skeletal muscle and fat that are prognostic of the impact of sarcopenia on medical outcomes in cirrhosis and other pathologies. Recently, observational studies have shown a correlation between transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation and a reversal of the progressive muscle loss in cirrhosis. This reversal is also associated with improved clinical outcomes and survival. This review summarizes current understanding of cirrhotic sarcopenia, and discusses the implications of TIPS creation in reversing this process.
Keywords
TIPS - sarcopenia - cirrhosis - liver transplantation - skeletal muscle area - muscle
