Frailty and Sarcopenia in Liver Transplant - Impact and Management

Trenches in Transplant Surgery · Jul 8, 2025 · 19m

Frailty and sarcopenia are highly prevalent in patients undergoing liver transplantation, with significant implications for both pre- and post-transplant outcomes. Frailty, often assessed using tools like the Liver Frailty Index (LFI), and sarcopenia, typically measured by CT-based muscle mass, independently predict increased waitlist mortality, longer hospital and ICU stays, higher risk of infections, and reduced post-transplant survival. These conditions often persist or worsen after transplant, especially without targeted intervention. Risk factors include advanced age, malnutrition…