Implications of low muscle mass across the continuum of care: a narrative review

Abnormalities in body composition can occur at any body weight. Low muscle mass is a predictor of poor morbidity and mortality and occurs in several populations.

Low muscle mass is associated with outcomes such as higher surgical and post-operative complications, longer length of hospital stay, lower physical function, poorer quality of life and shorter survival. As such, the potential clinical benefits of preventing and reversing this condition are likely to impact patient outcomes and resource utilization/health care costs.

Clinically viable tools to measure body composition are needed for routine screening and intervention. Future research studies should elucidate the effectiveness of multimodal interventions to counteract low muscle mass for optimal patient outcomes across the healthcare continuum.