A

Integrative Muscle-Adipose Score (IMAS)

Annals of Surgery

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential of integrating muscle and fat compartments into a novel and unified score for outcome prediction in a bicentric European cohort of LT recipients. BACKGROUND: Body composition (BC) reflects nutritional status and metabolic reserves and influences outcomes after orthotopic liver transplantation (LT). Validated tools for predicting long-term survival after LT remain scarce. Increasing evidence highlights sex-specific disparities in post-transplant outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 695 adult patients undergoing LT at Charité-Berlin (n=412, 2010 to 2020; discovery cohort) and University Hospital Aachen (n=283, 2010 to 2018; validation cohort) were included. CT-based BC was assessed at lumbar level 3/4. Muscle mass, quality, and adipose tissue were integrated into the integrative muscle-adipose score (IMAS) and correlated with survival and postoperative morbidity. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 54 (discovery) and 47 months (validation). A total of 31% of recipients were female. IMAS quartiles significantly stratified overall survival in both cohorts (P<0.01). Low IMAS was independently prognostic of overall survival in both cohorts. Sex-specific IMAS cutoffs were independently prognostic in both sexes (♂︎: HR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.37-2.70, P=0.001; ♀︎: HR=2.04, 95% CI: 1.17-3.55, P=0.012), whereas the BAR score failed to predict long-term survival in female recipients. Across sexes, low IMAS was associated with significantly lower restricted mean survival time at 5 years (♂︎ 43.2 vs. 50.16 mo, P<0.001; ♀︎ 44.2 vs. 51.71 mo, P=0.013) and a higher Comprehensive Complication Index 90 days after LT. CONCLUSION: The IMAS provides a novel, reproducible sex-sensitive framework for long-term outcome prediction after LT.

Authors 16

  1. Vienna General Hospital · Medical University of Vienna · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General Surgery, Division of Transplantation, General Hospital of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  2. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

  3. Essen University Hospital · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General, Visceral, Pediatric, and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

    Department of Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

  4. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  5. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  6. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

  7. Vienna General Hospital · Medical University of Vienna · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General Surgery, Division of Transplantation, General Hospital of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  8. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  9. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

  10. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

  11. Essen University Hospital · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General, Visceral, Pediatric, and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

    Department of Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

  12. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General, Visceral, Pediatric, and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

  13. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  14. Vienna General Hospital · Medical University of Vienna · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General Surgery, Division of Transplantation, General Hospital of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna

    Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

  15. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

  16. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

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