Geschatte leestijd: 2 minutenThe level of muscle mass can be an indication of the outcome of surgery. How quickly you recover afterward, whether there are complications, and whether you survive the procedure.
Muscle Mass and Surgery
Fortunately, there is increasing awareness of the importance of muscle mass for health. Strength training can sometimes be misconceived as primarily focused on appearance. However, both training focused on the cardiovascular system and on muscle mass are important to address health risks.
One very direct example of the importance of muscle mass was recently demonstrated by physician-researcher and surgical resident Jeroen van Vugt, who will defend his research tomorrow at Erasmus MC. Van Vugt discovered that patients with little muscle mass have a higher chance of complications after surgery, require longer recovery times, and are more likely to die after the procedure.
The physician-researcher conducted research among a group of patients on the waiting list for a liver transplant and a group who needed surgery for cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. Van Vugt conducted various studies on the effect of muscle mass on the outcome of surgeries in these vulnerable groups. For example, he showed that a hospital has higher costs in these cases when the patient has less muscle mass. Malnutrition is one of the reasons for this, and Van Vugt investigated whether screening tools for malnutrition were as reliable as CT scans used to measure muscle mass.
Higher Risk of Death with Lower Muscle Mass
For the study, patients were divided into different groups based on their muscle mass. In the group of people with the lowest muscle mass, significantly more complications occurred after surgery, such as wound infections. It also appeared that people on the waiting list for a liver operation with low muscle mass were more likely to die before they could receive their new liver.
Lower Condition with Lower Muscle Mass
Muscle mass is an important indication of the patient’s condition. Van Vugt points out that low muscle mass in these groups naturally correlates with their disease. But just like with the loss of muscle mass as you age, a good starting point offers better prospects. Ensuring that you have enough muscle mass when you are still healthy can protect you against the consequences of diseases.
Medication to Limit Muscle Breakdown
In medical care, Van Vugt’s research can lead to the assessment of the level of muscle mass before surgery to assess the patient’s chances. Patients with low muscle mass can then be encouraged to work on their muscle mass under supervision. In addition, Van Vugt’s lab is working on medication aimed at the inflammatory processes that contribute to muscle breakdown. The latter can of course count on much broader interest than in pre- and post-operative care.
Lower Muscle Mass, Higher Healthcare Costs
The research also focused on the costs, which can amount to thousands of euros per patient with lower muscle mass. His argument includes fair reimbursements for university hospitals. These hospitals receive relatively many vulnerable, complicated patients. Personally, I find a discount on your health insurance linked to your muscle mass and body fat percentage a nice approach.
Sources
- erasmusmc.nl/patientenzorg_algemeen/nl/nieuws-zorg/6514538/
- van Kemenade, M.C. & Vugt, Jeroen & Riemslag Baas, S & Metselaar, H.J. & Man, Robert & Ijzermans, Jan. (2017). SUN-P214: Bedside Nutritional Assessment Tools Compared with CT Based Skeletal Muscle Mass Analysis in Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation. Clinical Nutrition. 36. S133. 10.1016/S0261-5614(17)30414-4.
