Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors

BackgroundComputed tomography (CT) imaging is a useful tool for assessing skeletal muscle mass and quality. The present study aimed to determine age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based skeletal muscle markers in a healthy population, and to correlate them with serum creatinine and 24-h u...

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Main Authors: David Martin, Paola Dolce, Martin Hübner, Tobias Zingg, David Fuks, Jean-Pierre Venetz, Damien Maier, Maurice Matter, Fabio Becce
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1566463/full
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author David Martin
Paola Dolce
Martin Hübner
Tobias Zingg
David Fuks
Jean-Pierre Venetz
Damien Maier
Maurice Matter
Fabio Becce
author_facet David Martin
Paola Dolce
Martin Hübner
Tobias Zingg
David Fuks
Jean-Pierre Venetz
Damien Maier
Maurice Matter
Fabio Becce
author_sort David Martin
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundComputed tomography (CT) imaging is a useful tool for assessing skeletal muscle mass and quality. The present study aimed to determine age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based skeletal muscle markers in a healthy population, and to correlate them with serum creatinine and 24-h urinary creatinine excretion (24h-UCE).MethodsSkeletal muscle index (SMI) - a marker of muscle mass/quantity - and skeletal muscle radiation attenuation (SMRA) and intermuscular adipose tissue index (IMATI) - markers of muscle quality/myosteatosis - were determined using a deep-learning-based method from axial CT images at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra in living kidney donors assessed between 01/2005 and 05/2023. Age- and sex-specific reference values were determined by the 5th percentile, and correlation was tested with the Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsCT scans of 394 healthy individuals were included. The mean age was 53 years (SD 12), mean BMI was 25.2 kg/m2 (SD 3.9), and 130 patients (33%) were male. The reference values for low skeletal muscle mass (SMI) in males were 43.7 cm2/m2 (20–39 years), 44.9 cm2/m2 (40–59 years), and 39.7 cm2/m2 (≥60 years). In females, the corresponding values were 33.8 cm2/m2 (20–39 years), 34.8 cm2/m2 (40–59 years), and 31.2 cm2/m2 (≥60 years). SMI showed a moderate correlation with serum creatinine (r = 0.452, p < 0.001) but a weak correlation with 24h-UCE (r = 0.188, p = 0.003). Correlations were all weak for SMRA (creatinine: r = 0.220, p < 0.001; 24h-UCE: r = 0.177, p = 0.006) and IMATI (creatinine: r = −0.101, p = 0.054; 24h-UCE, r = −0.108, p = 0.093).ConclusionThe age- and sex-specific reference values reported here could be used in clinical practice and future studies to identify patients at risk of muscle decline.
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spelling doaj-art-9f438adaa97c4119b427320faac9db142025-08-20T02:18:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2025-04-011610.3389/fphys.2025.15664631566463Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donorsDavid Martin0Paola Dolce1Martin Hübner2Tobias Zingg3David Fuks4Jean-Pierre Venetz5Damien Maier6Maurice Matter7Fabio Becce8Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Transplantation, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandBackgroundComputed tomography (CT) imaging is a useful tool for assessing skeletal muscle mass and quality. The present study aimed to determine age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based skeletal muscle markers in a healthy population, and to correlate them with serum creatinine and 24-h urinary creatinine excretion (24h-UCE).MethodsSkeletal muscle index (SMI) - a marker of muscle mass/quantity - and skeletal muscle radiation attenuation (SMRA) and intermuscular adipose tissue index (IMATI) - markers of muscle quality/myosteatosis - were determined using a deep-learning-based method from axial CT images at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra in living kidney donors assessed between 01/2005 and 05/2023. Age- and sex-specific reference values were determined by the 5th percentile, and correlation was tested with the Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsCT scans of 394 healthy individuals were included. The mean age was 53 years (SD 12), mean BMI was 25.2 kg/m2 (SD 3.9), and 130 patients (33%) were male. The reference values for low skeletal muscle mass (SMI) in males were 43.7 cm2/m2 (20–39 years), 44.9 cm2/m2 (40–59 years), and 39.7 cm2/m2 (≥60 years). In females, the corresponding values were 33.8 cm2/m2 (20–39 years), 34.8 cm2/m2 (40–59 years), and 31.2 cm2/m2 (≥60 years). SMI showed a moderate correlation with serum creatinine (r = 0.452, p < 0.001) but a weak correlation with 24h-UCE (r = 0.188, p = 0.003). Correlations were all weak for SMRA (creatinine: r = 0.220, p < 0.001; 24h-UCE: r = 0.177, p = 0.006) and IMATI (creatinine: r = −0.101, p = 0.054; 24h-UCE, r = −0.108, p = 0.093).ConclusionThe age- and sex-specific reference values reported here could be used in clinical practice and future studies to identify patients at risk of muscle decline.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1566463/fullliving kidney donorcomputed tomographymuscle massmuscle qualitymyosteatosis
spellingShingle David Martin
Paola Dolce
Martin Hübner
Tobias Zingg
David Fuks
Jean-Pierre Venetz
Damien Maier
Maurice Matter
Fabio Becce
Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
Frontiers in Physiology
living kidney donor
computed tomography
muscle mass
muscle quality
myosteatosis
title Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
title_full Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
title_fullStr Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
title_full_unstemmed Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
title_short Age- and sex-specific reference values for CT-based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
title_sort age and sex specific reference values for ct based low skeletal muscle quantity and quality in healthy living kidney donors
topic living kidney donor
computed tomography
muscle mass
muscle quality
myosteatosis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1566463/full
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