Association between psoas major muscle mass and CPET performance and long-term survival following major colorectal surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Shahab Hajibandeh; Iain Gilham; Winnie Tam; Emma Kirby; Adetona Obaloluwa Babs-Osibodu; William Jones; George A Rose; Damian M Bailey; Christopher Morris; Rachel Hargest; Amy Clayton; Richard G Davies

doi:10.1016/j.surge.2024.04.005

Association between psoas major muscle mass and CPET performance and long-term survival following major colorectal surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Surgeon. 2024 Apr 22:S1479-666X(24)00037-4. doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2024.04.005. Online ahead of print.

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK. Electronic address: Shahab_hajibandeh@yahoo.com.
² Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
³ Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK.
⁴ Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
⁵ Department of Anaesthetics, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.

PMID: 38653641
DOI: 10.1016/j.surge.2024.04.005

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate whether computed tomography (CT)-derived psoas major muscle measurements could predict preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) performance and long-term mortality in patients undergoing major colorectal surgery and to compare predictive performance of psoas muscle measurements using 2D approach and 3D approach.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study compliant with STROCSS standards was conducted. Consecutive patients undergoing major colorectal surgery between January 2011 and January 2017 following CPET as part of their preoperative assessment were included. Regression analyses were modelled to investigate association between the CT-derived psoas major muscle mass variables [total psoas muscle area (TPMA), total psoas muscle volume (TPMV) and psoas muscle index (PMI)] and CPET performance and mortality (1-year and 5-year). Discriminative performances of the variables were evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results: A total of 457 eligible patients were included. The median TPMA and TPMV were 21 cm² (IQR: 15-27) and 274 cm³ (IQR: 201-362), respectively. The median PMI measured via 2D and 3D approaches were 7 cm²/m² (IQR: 6-9) and 99 cm³/m² (IQR: 76-120), respectively. The risks of 1-year and 5-year mortality were 7.4% and 27.1%, respectively. Regression analyses showed TPMA, TPMV, and PMI can predict preoperative CPET performance and long-term mortality. However, ROC curve analyses showed no significant difference in predictive performance amongst TPMA, TPMV, and PMI.

Conclusion: Radiologically-measured psoas muscle mass variables may predict preoperative CPET performance and may be helpful with informing more objective selection of patients for preoperative CPET and prehabilitation.

Keywords: Cardiopulmonary exercise test; Colorectal surgery; Psoas muscle index; Sarcopenia.