The clinical applicability of ultrasound technique for diagnosis of sarcopenia in hemodialysis patients

Summary Background & aims We examined the validity of ultrasound technique assessing muscle mass and reflecting muscle strength and physical performance, and the clinical applicability of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool of sarcopenia in patients on hemodialysis. Methods This study included outpatients who were undergoing maintenance hemodialysis 3-time a week. Muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance were assessed at the time of the patients’ entry into the study. Ultrasound technique and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) were used to estimate muscle mass. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the rectus femoris was calculated using an ultrasound device built-in planimeter. Results A total of 58 hemodialysis patients were included in the analyses. Ultrasound-derived muscle mass was strongly correlated with BIA-derived measurements and independently associated with handgrip strength (β=2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.23 to 6.20, P Conclusions Ultrasound identified the patients at higher risk of skeletal muscle loss and sarcopenia with good discriminatory power. Ultrasound could be a valid and feasible technique for dialysis populations in clinical settings.