Association between sarcopenia and inflammation in non-geriatric patients with chronic kidney disease: a comparison of hemodialysis and non-hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is an increasingly recognized complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), contributing to impaired physical function and higher mortality. While most evidence derives from elderly populations, its frequency and inflammatory correlates in younger adults remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with inflammatory markers in a non-geriatric CKD cohort, including both hemodialysis and non-dialysis patients.

METHODS

This cross-sectional observational study included 128 non-geriatric CKD patients (18-65 years), 60 of whom were on maintenance hemodialysis. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to EWGSOP2 criteria using handgrip strength, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and 4-meter gait-speed testing. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA, while C-reactive protein (CRP) served as another inflammatory marker. SPSS v27.0 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Sarcopenia was confirmed in 21.9% of the cohort, with a significantly higher prevalence among hemodialysis patients (31.7% vs 13.2%, P < .05). The prevalence of sarcopenia increased progressively with advancing CKD stage in the overall cohort (P < .05). Dialysis status was the most consistent independent predictor of sarcopenia (fully adjusted OR = 8.28, P = .004). IL-6 ≥ 110 ng/L and TNF-α > 150 ng/L were associated with higher sarcopenia prevalence and lower appendicular skeletal muscle mass, respectively (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia is highly prevalent among non-geriatric CKD patients and increases with disease progression. Dialysis remains the strongest independent predictor, while elevated IL-6 and TNF-α levels reflect inflammation-related muscle loss.