Unveiling the detrimental vicious cycle linking skeletal muscle and COVID‐19: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Objective Skeletal muscle catabolism supports multiple organs and systems during severe trauma and infection, but its role in COVID‐19 remains unclear. This study investigates the interactions between skeletal muscle and COVID‐19. Methods The PubMed, EMbase, and The Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched from January 2020 to August 2023 for cohort studies focusing on the impact of skeletal muscle on COVID‐19 prevalence and outcomes, and longitudinal studies examining skeletal muscle changes caused by COVID‐19. Skeletal muscle quantity (SMQN) and quality (SMQL) were assessed separately. The random‐effect model was predominantly utilized for statistical analysis. Results Seventy studies with moderate to high quality were included. Low SMQN/SMQL was associated with an increased risk of COVID‐19 infection (OR = 1.62, p