Investigation of secondary sarcopenia in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients at admission and discharge

Abstract

 Here, we investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sarcopenia in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. A total of 105 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our hematology department were analyzed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on grip strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle index using the 2019 Asian Sarcopenia Working Group diagnostic criteria. Rehabilitation was performed according to the clinical course of the patient. Sarcopenia was present in 12.4 and 27.6% of patients at admission and discharge, respectively. The incidence of sarcopenia after transplantation was 19.6%. It was particularly common in women who developed acute GVHD, were treated with steroids, and were hospitalized for long periods of time. Knowledge regarding the status of sarcopenia in patients with transplants may assist with future treatments and countermeasures.