Sarcopenia in children and adolescents with chronic liver disease / Sarcopenia em crianças e adolescentes com doença hepática crônica

Abstract Objective: To investigate the occurrence of sarcopenia in children and adolescents with chronic liver disease. Methods: A series of cases, with patients aged 6-19 years of both genders, who were treated in Liver Outpatient Clinics. Weight, height, muscle strength (assessed by manual grip strength), and muscle mass (estimated through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the simultaneous presence of muscle mass and muscle strength déficits, defined as the values below the mean for muscle mass and strength of the studied population, according to gender. A descriptive analysis (mean and standard deviation) was performed, and the difference of means was calculated by Student's t-test. Results: A total of 85 patients were studied, mostly females (64.7%), with a mean age of 11.7 (SD = 3.4) years. Sarcopenia was identified in 40% of the patients. Muscle strength déficit was found in 54.1% of the subjects, and 50.6% showed muscle mass déficit. The mean muscle mass for males was higher than that for females (6.07; SD = 1.22 kg/m2 vs. 5.42; SD = 1.10 kg/m2; p = 0.016). However, there was no significant difference in sex-related muscle strength (male = 0.85; SD = 0.52 kgf/kgm2 and female = 0.68; SD = 0.30 kgf/kgm2; p = 0.113). Conclusion: The research findings identified that sarcopenia is a condition found in pediatric patients treated at a public referral institution for chronic liver disease.

Resumo Objetivo: Investigar a ocorrência de sarcopenia em crianças e adolescentes com hepatopatias crônicas. Métodos: Série de casos, constituído por pacientes entre 6 e 19 anos, de ambos os sexos, acompanhados em ambulatórios de especialidade em hepatopatias. Foram feitas medidas de peso, altura, força muscular (avaliada pela força de preensão manual) e a massa muscular estimada a partir da absorciometria por dupla emissão de raios X. O diagnóstico de sarcopenia baseou-se na presença simultânea de déficit de massa muscular e de força muscular. Adotaram-se como déficit os valores abaixo da média para massa e força muscular da população estudada, segundo sexo. Realizou-se análise descritiva (média e desvio-padrão), bem como a diferença de médias com o teste do t de Student. Resultados: Foram estudados 85 pacientes, a maioria do sexo feminino (64,7%), com média de 11,7 (DP = 3,4) anos. A sarcopenia foi identificada em 40% dos pacientes, 54,1% apresentaram déficit de força muscular e 50,6% déficit de massa muscular. A média da massa muscular para o sexo masculino foi maior do que no feminino (6,07; DP = 1,22 kg/m2 vs 5,42; DP = 1,10 kg/m2; p = 0,016). No entanto, não houve diferença significante para força muscular com relação aos sexos (masculino = 0,85; DP = 0,52 kgf/kgm2 e feminino = 0,68; DP = 0,30 kgf/kgm2; p = 0,113). Conclusão: Os achados da pesquisa identificaram que a sarcopenia é uma condição presente em pacientes pediátricos atendidos em uma instituição pública de referência para doença hepática crônica.

Sarcopenia in children and adolescents with chronic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence of sarcopenia in children and adolescents with chronic liver disease. METHODS: A series of cases, with patients aged 6-19 years of both genders, who were treated in Liver Outpatient Clinics. Weight, height, muscle strength (assessed by manual grip strength), and muscle mass (estimated through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the simultaneous presence of muscle mass and muscle strength déficits, defined as the values below the mean for muscle mass and strength of the studied population, according to gender. A descriptive analysis (mean and standard deviation) was performed, and the difference of means was calculated by Student's t-test. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients were studied, mostly females (64.7%), with a mean age of 11.7 (SD=3.4) years. Sarcopenia was identified in 40% of the patients. Muscle strength déficit was found in 54.1% of the subjects, and 50.6% showed muscle mass déficit. The mean muscle mass for males was higher than that for females (6.07; SD=1.22kg/m2vs. 5.42; SD=1.10kg/m2; p=0.016). However, there was no significant difference in sex-related muscle strength (male=0.85; SD=0.52kgf/kgm2 and female=0.68; SD=0.30kgf/kgm2; p=0.113). CONCLUSION: The research findings identified that sarcopenia is a condition found in pediatric patients treated at a public referral institution for chronic liver disease.