The association of abdominal muscle with outcomes after scheduled abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of core muscle mass. It is an aspect of frailty, which is associated with increased rates of peri-operative harm. We assessed the association of the cross-sectional areas of abdominal muscles, including psoas, with survival during a median (IQR [range]) follow-up of 3.8 (3.2–4.4 [0.0–5.1]) years after scheduled endovascular (132) or open (5) abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in 137 patients. In multivariate analysis, mortality hazard (95%CI) was independently associated with: age, 1.06 (1.01–1.13) per year, p = 0.03; and the adjusted area of the left psoas muscle, 0.94 (0.81–1.01) per mm².kg^−0.83, p = 0.08. Shortened hospital stay was independently associated with haemoglobin concentration and adjusted left psoas muscle area, hazard ratio (95%) 1.01 (1.00–1.02) per g.l⁻¹ and 1.05 (1.02–1.07) per mm².kg^−0.83, p = 0.04 and 0.001, respectively.