Performance of CT-based low skeletal muscle index, low mean muscle attenuation, and bioelectric impedance derived low phase angle in the detection of an increased risk of nutrition related mortality

The aim of this study was to evaluate in a head to head comparison the performance of bioimpedance derived low phase angle (PA), CT-based low skeletal muscle index (SMI) and low mean muscle attenuation (MA), and Pandora Score (PS) to detect an increased nutrition related mortality in hospitalized patients. A total of 7736 patients were hospitalized in Dessau community hospital (Nov 11, 2016–Feb 05, 2017). In 227/7736 patients an abdominal CT scan was obtained and low values (below threshold) of skeletal muscle index (SMI) and mean muscle attenuation (MA) were obtained at L3 level using Slice-O-Matic. In 180/227 patients, malnutrition screening (NRS-2002 ≥ 3), determination of low PA (