Sarcopenia in solid organ transplantation

Sarcopenia is a relatively new concept in the medical literature, initially intended to describe the loss of lean body mass that occurs with aging. More recently, sarcopenia has been described in various forms of chronic disease, including patients with end-stage organ disease awaiting transplantation. The presence of sarcopenia is an important marker in transplant patients, since it has been linked to poorer pre- and posttransplant outcomes compared with patients with preserved muscle mass. The mechanisms and natural history of sarcopenia in transplant patients are incompletely understood, and there are currently no therapies proven to mitigate or reverse the process. This article reviews the current understanding of the prevalence and clinical significance of sarcopenia in transplant patients and highlights important areas of future research.