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Left Ventricular Mass Index as Potential Surrogate of Muscularity in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis Without Cardiovascular Disease
Author(s) -
Molfino Alessio,
Gasperini Maria Ludovica,
Gigante Antonietta,
Rosato Edoardo,
Muscaritoli Maurizio
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1002/jpen.1999
Subject(s) - medicine , bioelectrical impedance analysis , mass index , cardiology , body mass index , malnutrition , surrogate endpoint , anthropometry , gastroenterology
Abstract Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) may be associated with protein‐energy malnutrition. It was demonstrated that left ventricular mass (LVM) reflected poor nutrition status in SSc patients, and no data are available on LVM as a surrogate measure of muscularity. We aimed to evaluate, in SSc patients, the relationship between muscle mass and LVM as a novel indicator of muscularity in this setting. Methods SSc patients and healthy controls (HCs) were considered and underwent echocardiography to assess LVM and LVM index (LVMI). Body composition, including fat‐free mass index (FFMI), phase angle (PhA), and body cell mass index (BCMI), was analyzed by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results Sixty‐four SSc patients (aged 51 ± 13 years) and 30 HCs (aged 46 ± 13 years) were enrolled. BCMI and PhA were lower in SSc patients compared with HCs ( P < .001). LVM and LVMI were not different between SSc patients and HCs ( P = .068, P = .14, respectively). In SSc patients, a significant correlation was shown between LVMI and FFMI (τ = 0.192, P = .026); in multiple regression analysis, FFMI was significantly associated with the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool ( P < .0001), LVMI ( P = .01), and disease severity scale ( P = .02). Conclusion Changes in body composition were present in SSc patients, particularly in terms of BMCI and PhA. A correlation between LVMI and FFMI as indexes of muscularity exists in this cohort, suggesting that cardiac mass might be used as a surrogate of nutrition status in this setting.