P401 Sarcopenia in children and young adults with primary sclerosing cholangitis and IBD

E. Shteyer1, R. Cytter-Kuint2, L. Winberg2

1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, 2Departement of Radiology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Background

Malnutrition is common in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in liver diseases. The nutritional status can be assessed by evaluating for sarcopenia, which is described as the loss of muscle mass and/or strength that are reflected by decreased psoas muscle surface area (PMSA). Accumulating data shows association of PSMA with chronic diseases, however, literature regarding sarcopenia in children is still limited. The aim of this study is to assess sarcopenia in children and young adults with sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) with or without IBD.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of patients below 25 years of age diagnosed with PSC between the years 2010–2018 was done. Patients who performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in the study. Detailed clinical, anthropometric, laboratory and imaging findings were recorded. The control group was comprised of children who underwent MRI due to suspected scoliosis or kidney structural anomalies and had normal study. PMSA was determined at intervertebral disc L3.

Results

Sixty-five patients were included in the study. Twenty with PSC with a mean age of 15.2 ± 5 years, 12 were female and 9 had IBD. The control group comprised of 45 healthy subjects with no significant difference in age, gender and BMI from the study group. There was no significant difference in PMSA between groups. However, PMSA significantly correlated with aspartate transaminase (AST) and Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) score (marker for hepatic fibrosis, r = −0.49, p = 0.02). Additionally, PMSA was significantly higher in patients who had both PSC and IBD (475.61 ± 136 vs. 789 ± 328, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Children and young adults with concomitant PSC and IBD were in a better nutritional status in comparison to patients with PSC alone, as evidenced by a lesser degree of sarcopenia. Additionally, sarcopenia correlates to the degree of liver fibrosis assessed by APRI score. Further larger studies are warranted in order to corroborate the importance of sarcopenia in patients with PSC.