Long COVID-19: The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach.

Long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by persistent COVID-19 symptoms that last for at least 2 months. In the elderly population, apart from the typical symptoms (fatigue, cough, or dyspnea), unspecific symptoms coexist (functional deterioration, cognitive impairment, or delirium) that can mitigate the prevalence of this syndrome in this age group. Its main consequence is the functional decline, leading to sarcopenia, frailty, and disability, in addition to the nutritional and cognitive disorders. Thus, a multicomponent and individualized program (exercise, diet, cognitive stimulation) should be designed for older people with persistent COVID, where new technologies could be useful.

Multidisciplinary nutritional consensus on assessment and nutritional dietary treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The presence of malnutrition in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is high, it can be made worse by SARS-CoV2 infection. The nutritional assessment should be adapted to minimize the infection, recommending monitoring: weight loss percentage, body mass index (BMI), loss of appetite, analytical parameters and functional capacity using the dynamometer. As well as the sarcopenia assessment using the SCARF scale, and the possibility of using the GLIM criteria in those patients who have been tested positive by MUST. It is important to adapt the nutritional recommendations in the caloric and protein intake, to the CKD stage and to the SARS-CoV2 infection stage. In patients with hypercatabolism, to prioritize preserving the nutritional status (35 kcal/kg weight/day, proteins up to 1.5 g/kg/day). The rest of the nutrients will be adapted to CKD stage and the analytical values. In the post-infection stage, a complete nutritional assessment is recommended, including sarcopenia. The energy and protein requirements in this phase will be adapted to the nutritional status, with special attention to the loss of muscle mass. Dietary recommendations need to be tailored to side effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection: anorexia, dysphagia, dysgeusia, and diarrhea. Anorexia and hypercatabolism makes it difficult to meet the requirements through diet, therefore the use of oral nutritional supplements is recommended as well as the enteral or parenteral nutrition in severe phases.

Associations of Dynapenic Obesity and Sarcopenic Obesity with the Risk of Complications in COVID-19.

Ageing is associated with changes in body composition, such as low muscle mass (sarcopenia), decreased grip strength or physical function (dynapenia), and accumulation of fat mass. When the accumulation of fat mass synergistically accompanies low muscle mass or reduced grip strength, it results in sarcopenic obesity and dynapenic obesity, respectively. These types of obesity contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the elderly, which could increase the damage caused by COVID-19. In this review, we associated factors that could generate a higher risk of COVID-19 complications in dynapenic obesity and sarcopenic obesity. For example, skeletal muscle regulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines and supports metabolic stress in pulmonary disease; hence, the presence of dynapenic obesity or sarcopenic obesity could be related to a poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients.

Acute skeletal muscle loss in SARS-CoV-2 infection contributes to poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic disease causes skeletal muscle loss that contributes to morbidity and mortality. There are limited data on the impact of dynamic muscle loss on clinical outcomes in COVID-19. We hypothesized that acute COVID-19-related muscle loss (acute sarcopenia) is associated with adverse outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospective clinical registry of COVID-19 patients was performed in consecutive hospitalized patients with acute COVID-19 (n = 95) and compared with non-COVID-19 controls (n = 19) with two temporally unique CT scans. Pectoralis muscle (PM), erector spinae muscle (ESM) and 30 day standardized per cent change in cross sectional muscle area were quantified. Primary outcomes included mortality and need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Multivariate linear and logistic regression were performed. Cox proportional hazard ratios were generated for ICU admission or mortality for the per cent muscle loss standardized to 30 days. RESULTS: The COVID-19 CT scan cohort (n = 95) had an average age of 63.3 ± 14.3 years, comorbidities including COPD (28.4%) and diabetes mellitus (42.1%), and was predominantly Caucasian (64.9%). The proportion of those admitted to the ICU was 54.7%, with 10.5% requiring tracheostomy and overall mortality 16.8%. Median duration between CT scans was 32 days (IQR: 16-63 days). Significant reductions in median per cent loss was noted for PM (-2.64% loss [IQR: -0.28, -5.47] in COVID-19 vs. -0.06 loss [IQR: -0.01, -0.28] in non-COVID-19 CT controls, P < 0.001) and ESM (-1.86% loss [IQR: -0.28, -5.47] in COVID-19 vs. -0.06 loss [IQR: -0.02, -0.11]) in non-COVID-19 CT controls, P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis of per cent loss in PM was significantly associated with mortality (-10.8% loss [95% CI: -21.5 to -0.19]) and ICU admission (-11.1% loss [95% CI: -19.4 to -2.67]), and not significant for ESM. Cox proportional hazard ratios demonstrated greater association with ICU admission (adj HR 2.01 [95% CI: 1.14-3.55]) and mortality (adj HR 5.30 [95% CI: 1.19-23.6]) for those with significant per cent loss in PM, and greater association with ICU admission (adj HR 8.22 [95% CI: 1.11-61.04]) but not mortality (adj HR 2.20 [95% CI: 0.70-6.97]) for those with significant per cent loss in ESM. CONCLUSIONS: In a well-characterized cohort of 95 hospitalized patients with acute COVID-19 and two temporally distinct CT scans, acute sarcopenia, determined by standardized reductions in PM and ESM, was associated with worse clinical outcomes. These data lay the foundation for evaluating dynamic muscle loss as a predictor of clinical outcomes and targeting acute sarcopenia to improve clinical outcomes for COVID-19.

Sarcopenia as potential biological substrate of long COVID-19 syndrome: prevalence, clinical features, and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Severe clinical pictures and sequelae of COVID-19 disease are immune mediated and characterized by a 'cytokine storm'. Skeletal muscle has emerged as a potent regulator of immune system function. The aim of the present study is to define the prevalence of sarcopenia among COVID-19 survivors and the negative impact of sarcopenia on the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and its related risk factors. METHODS: A total of 541 subjects recovered from COVID-19 disease were enrolled in the Gemelli Against COVID-19 Post-Acute Care between April 2020 and February 2021. They underwent a multidisciplinary clinical evaluation and muscle strength and physical performance assessment. RESULTS: Mean age was 53.1 years (SD 15.2, range from 18 to 86 years), and 274 (51%) were women. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 19.5%, and it was higher in patients with a longer hospital stay and lower in patients who were more physically active and had higher levels of serum albumin. Patients with sarcopenia had a higher number of persistent symptoms than non-sarcopenic patients (3.8 ± 2.9 vs. 3.2 ± 2.8, respectively; P = 0.06), in particular fatigue, dyspnoea, and joint pain. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia identified according to the EWGSOP2 criteria is high in patients recovered from COVID-19 acute illness, particularly in those who had experienced the worst clinical picture reporting the persistence of fatigue and dyspnoea. Our data suggest that sarcopenia, through the persistence of inflammation, could be the biological substrate of long COVID-19 syndrome. Physical activity, especially if associated with adequate nutrition, seems to be an important protective factor.

Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in COVID-19 Survivors.

Malnutrition has been one of the most common complications of older COVID-19 survivors. COVID-19 associated symptoms like loss of appetite as well as changes in taste and smell may trigger the deterioration of nutritional status, while other complications of the disease may contribute to it, like respiratory failure that necessitates admission to the ICU. Especially in nursing home residents reduced food intake may be related to preexisting and also to incident geriatric syndromes like delirium. Sarcopenia has also been highly prevalent in older COVID-19 survivors. It is caused and exacerbated by COVID-19-associated inflammatory processes, total or partial immobilization, and malnutrition. COVID-19 survivors may be at high risk of developing the vicious circle that results from the interaction of deteriorating nutritional status and declining functionality. Regular monitoring of nutritional and functional status is, therefore, indicated in all older COVID-19 survivors. If malnutrition and/or functional decline have been identified in this patient population, low-threshold provision of individualized nutritional and exercise interventions should be installed. In those that are most seriously affected by malnutrition and sarcopenia ambulatory or inpatient rehabilitation has to be considered. Geriatric rehabilitation programs should be specifically adapted to the needs of older patients with COVID-19.

Physical activity for chronic pancreatitis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive inflammatory disorder of the pancreas. Sarcopenia is a degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, and strength and is commonly associated with chronic pancreatitis. Regular physical activity and adequate functional fitness have been found to ameliorate the risk and effects of sarcopenia in other chronic diseases. The objective of this systematic review was to collate all the published evidence which has examined any type of physical activity as an intervention in the chronic pancreatitis patient population. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy was designed by the medical librarian (DM) for Embase and then modified for the other search platforms. Two of the researchers (BM) and (AM) then performed the literature search using the databases Embase, Medline, CINAHL, and Web of Science. RESULTS: An electronic identified a total of 571 references imported to Covidence as 420 when the duplicates (151) were removed. 420 titles were screened and 390 were removed as not relevant from their titles. 30 full text papers were selected and from these, only one full text paper was deemed suitable for inclusion. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently insufficient evidence to advise physical activity in the chronic pancreatitis population. However, given the evidence to support physical activity in many other chronic diseases this review highlights the need for urgent investigation of physical activity as an intervention on this specific patient population.

Evaluation of Muscle Mass and Stiffness with Limb Ultrasound in COVID-19 Survivors.

BACKGROUND: acute illnesses, like COVID-19, can act as a catabolic stimulus on muscles. So far, no study has evaluated muscle mass and quality through limb ultrasound in post-COVID-19 patients. METHODS: cross sectional observational study, including patients seen one month after hospital discharge for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The patients underwent a multidimensional evaluation. Moreover, we performed dominant medial gastrocnemius ultrasound (US) to characterize their muscle mass and quality. RESULTS: two hundred fifty-nine individuals (median age 67, 59.8% males) were included in the study. COVID-19 survivors with reduced muscle strength had a lower muscle US thickness (1.6 versus 1.73 cm, p =0.02) and a higher muscle stiffness (87 versus 76.3, p = 0.004) compared to patients with normal muscle strength. Also, patients with reduced Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores had a lower muscle US thickness (1.3 versus 1.71 cm, p = 0.01) and a higher muscle stiffness (104.9 versus 81.07, p = 0.04) compared to individuals with normal SPPB scores. The finding of increased muscle stiffness was also confirmed in patients with a pathological value (≥ 4) at the sarcopenia screening tool SARC-F (103.0 versus 79.55, p < 0.001). Muscle stiffness emerged as a significant predictor of probable sarcopenia (adjusted OR 1.02, 95% C.I. 1.002 - 1.04, p = 0.03). The optimal ultrasound cut-offs for probable sarcopenia were 1.51 cm for muscle thickness (p= 0.017) and 73.95 for muscle stiffness (p = 0.004). DISCUSSION: we described muscle ultrasound characteristics in post COVID-19 patients. Muscle ultrasound could be an innovative tool to assess muscle mass and quality in this population. Our preliminary findings need to be confirmed by future studies comparing muscle ultrasound with already validated techniques for measuring muscle mass and quality.

Long Term Follow-Up of Sarcopenia and Malnutrition after Hospitalization for COVID-19 in Conventional or Intensive Care Units.

BACKGROUND: The post-COVID-19 condition, defined as COVID-19-related signs and symptoms lasting at least 2 months and persisting more than 3 months after infection, appears now as a public health issue in terms of frequency and quality of life alterations. Nevertheless, few data are available concerning long term evolution of malnutrition and sarcopenia, which deserve further attention. METHOD: Sarcopenia was investigated prospectively, together with weight evolution, at admission and at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge in 139 COVID-19 patients, using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) criteria, associating both decreased muscle strength and muscle mass, assessed, respectively, with hand dynamometer and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Of the 139 patients, 22 presented with sarcopenia at 3 months; intensive care units (ICU) length of stay was the sole factor associated with sarcopenia after multivariate analysis. Although the entire group did not demonstrate significant weight change, weight decreased significantly in the sarcopenia group (Five and eight patients, showing, respectively, >5 or >10% weight decrease). Interestingly, at 6 months, 16 of the 22 patients recovered from sarcopenia and their weight returned toward baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia and malnutrition are frequently observed in patients hospitalized for COVID-19, even 3 months after infection occurrence, but can largely be reversed at 6 months after discharge. Enhanced patient care is needed in sarcopenic patients, particularly during long stays in an ICU.

[Investigation in clinical nutrition and generation of new evidence: the NutriCOVer program]. / Investigación en nutrición clínica y generación de nuevas evidencias: el programa NutriCOVer.

Introduction: NutriCOVer is a global research program sponsored by Nutricia to support initiatives in clinical investigation in 16 countries worldwide. The program's objective is to adapt nutritional care to the needs of patients with COVID-19 who have been discharged from the intensive care unit. In Spain - a reference country for the NutriCOVer program - three research projects are being carried out. These studies analyze the clinical course of COVID-19 patients from a nutritional point of view, evaluating relevant aspects such as the prevalence and evolution of malnutrition and sarcopenia (the NUTRICOVID study), the prevalence and impact of dysphagia (the COVID-19-DN-OD study), or changes in corporal composition measured through nutritional ultrasound and bioimpedance analysis (the NUTRIECOMUSCLE study). In this article, the principal investigators of the three projects discuss the steps taken to develop these studies in the context of a worldwide pandemic: from initial concept, study design, and patient recruitment to problems in the execution of the project in day-to-day practice and publication policies. Also, they offer some insights on the initial results and the implications which these studies may have for current clinical practice.

Introducción: NutriCOVer es un programa de investigación impulsado por Nutricia a nivel global para apoyar iniciativas de investigación clínica en 16 países de todo el mundo. El programa tiene como objetivo adaptar el cuidado nutricional a las necesidades de los pacientes con COVID-19 dados de alta de la unidad de cuidados intensivos. En España se están desarrollando tres proyectos de investigación, siendo un país de referencia dentro del programa NutriCOVer. Estos estudios analizan la evolución de los pacientes tras una COVID-19 grave desde el punto de vista nutricional, evaluando aspectos relevantes como la prevalencia y evolución de la desnutrición y la sarcopenia (estudio NUTRICOVID), la prevalencia y el impacto de la disfagia (estudio COVID-19- DN-OD) y los cambios de la composición corporal medida por ecografía nutricional y bioimpedanciometría (estudio NUTRIECOMUSCLE). En este artículo, los investigadores que lideran estos tres proyectos discuten todos los pasos que han seguido para el desarrollo de los estudios en el contexto de una pandemia mundial: desde la idea inicial, el diseño y el reclutamiento de pacientes hasta los problemas de ejecución que se han encontrado en el día a día o la política de publicación de los resultados. Además, ofrecen algunas impresiones sobre los resultados iniciales y las implicaciones que pueden tener estos estudios para cambiar la práctica clínica habitual.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outcomes in patients with sarcopenia: A meta-analysis and meta-regression.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia has been associated with patients' poor quality of life, disability, and hospitalization. As of today, evidence that highlights the association between sarcopenia and Covid-19 outcomes remains unclear. This study sought to analyze whether patients with sarcopenia are at higher risk for developing poor Covid-19 outcomes. METHODS: Using specific keywords, we comprehensively go through the potential articles on medRxiv, Europe PMC, and PubMed sources until July 31st, 2021. All published studies on sarcopenia and coronavirus disease 2019 were collected. We were using Review Manager 5.4 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3 software to conduct statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 9 studies with 492,245 Covid-19 patients included in the analysis. Evaluation of the data gathered yielded an association between sarcopenia and increased severity of Covid-19 (OR 1.99; 95%CI: 1.37-2.90, p = 0.0003, I2 = 79%, random-effect modelling); and mortality from Covid-19 (OR 1.96; 95%CI: 1.11-3.46, p = 0.020, I2 = 49%, random-effect modelling). The increased risk of developing severe Covid-19 in a sarcopenic patient is also further influenced by cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study proposes that patients with sarcopenia are at risk of developing poor Covid-19 outcomes. Patients with sarcopenia need special attention and should be prioritized to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. REGISTRATION DETAILS: PROSPERO (CRD42021270725).

Evaluation of the mechanisms of sarcopenia in chronic inflammatory disease: protocol for a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Several chronic inflammatory diseases co-exist with and accelerate sarcopenia (reduction in muscle strength, function and mass) and negatively impact on both morbidity and mortality. There is currently limited research on the extent of sarcopenia in such conditions, how to accurately assess it and whether there are generic or disease-specific mechanisms driving sarcopenia. Therefore, this study aims to identify potential mechanisms driving sarcopenia within chronic inflammatory disease via a multi-modal approach; in an attempt to help define potential interventions for future use. METHODS: This prospective cohort study will consist of a multi-modal assessment of sarcopenia and its underlying mechanisms. Recruitment will target three chronic inflammatory diseases: chronic liver disease (CLD) (n=50), with a subset of NAFLD (n=20), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (n=50) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n=50) both before and after therapeutic intervention. In addition, 20 age and sex matched healthy individuals will be recruited for comparison. Participants will undergo 4 assessment visits at weeks 0, 2, 12 and 24. Visits will consist of the following assessments: blood tests, anthropometrics, functional assessment, quadriceps muscle imaging, actigraphy, quality of life questionnaires, food diary collection and muscle biopsy of the vastus lateralis (at weeks 2 and 24 only). In addition, stool and urine samples will be collected for future microbiome and metabolomics analysis. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to use a multi-modal assessment model to phenotype sarcopenia in these chronic inflammatory diseases. We hope to identify generic as well as disease-specific mechanisms driving sarcopenia. We appreciate that these cohorts do require separate standards of care treatments which limit comparison between groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study is approved by the Health Research Authority - West Midlands Solihull Research Ethics Service Committee Authority (REC reference: 18/WM/0167). Recruitment commenced in January 2019 and will continue until July 2021. The study was halted in March 2020 and again in January 2021 with the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. All data will be stored on a secure server. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04734496.

Predicting muscle loss during lung cancer treatment (PREDICT): protocol for a mixed methods prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Low muscle mass and low muscle attenuation (radiodensity), reflecting increased muscle adiposity, are prevalent muscle abnormalities in people with lung cancer receiving curative intent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) or radiation therapy (RT). Currently, there is a limited understanding of the magnitude, determinants and clinical significance of these muscle abnormalities in the lung cancer CRT/RT population. The primary objective of this study is to identify the predictors of muscle abnormalities (low muscle mass and muscle attenuation) and their depletion over time in people with lung cancer receiving CRT/RT. Secondary objectives are to assess the magnitude of change in these parameters and their association with health-related quality of life, treatment completion, toxicities and survival. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients diagnosed with lung cancer and planned for treatment with CRT/RT are invited to participate in this prospective observational study, with a target of 120 participants. The impact and predictors of muscle abnormalities (assessed via CT at the third lumbar vertebra) prior to and 2 months post CRT/RT on the severity of treatment toxicities, treatment completion and survival will be assessed by examining the following variables: demographic and clinical factors, weight loss, malnutrition, muscle strength, physical performance, energy and protein intake, physical activity and sedentary time, risk of sarcopenia (Strength, Assistance in walking, Rise from a chair, Climb stairs, Falls history (SARC-F) score alone and with calf-circumference) and systemic inflammation. A sample of purposively selected participants with muscle abnormalities will be invited to take part in semistructured interviews to understand their ability to cope with treatment and explore preference for treatment strategies focused on nutrition and exercise. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The PREDICT study received ethics approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (HREC/53147/PMCC-2019) and Deakin University (2019-320). Findings will be disseminated through peer review publications and conference presentations.

Post COVID-19 Syndrome ("Long COVID") and Diabetes: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Post Covid-19 syndrome (PCS) is a major cause of morbidity. In this article we intend to review the association and consequences of PCS and diabetes. METHODS: We reviewed all studies on "Long Covid", "Post COVID-19 Syndrome" and diabetes in PubMed and Google Scholar. RESULTS: The symptoms of PCS can be due to organ dysfunction, effects of hospitalisation and drugs, or unrelated to these. Type 2 diabetes mellitus has a bidirectional relationship with COVID-19. Presence of diabetes also influences PCS via various pathophysiological mechanisms. COVID-19 can add to or exacerbate tachycardia, sarcopenia (and muscle fatigue), and microvascular dysfunction (and organ damage) in patients with diabetes. CONCLUSION: PCS in patients with diabetes could be detrimental in multiple ways. Strict control of diabetes and other comorbidities, supervised rehabilitation and physical exercise, and optimal nutrition could help in reducing and managing PCS.

Relation Between Body Composition, Systemic Inflammatory Response, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Admitted to an Urban Teaching Hospital with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has been associated with cases of severe respiratory illness, admissions to intensive therapy units (ITUs), and high mortality rates. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between computed tomography- body composition (CT-BC) measurements, systemic inflammation, and clinical outcomes in those with COVID-19. METHODS: Patients who presented to our institution between March 17 and May 1, 2020, with a positive PCR test for COVID-19 or characteristic radiological changes, were assessed for inclusion. Data collected included general demographic details, clinicopathological variables, poGPS, NLR , CT-BC measurements, and clinical outcomes including ITU admission and 30-d mortality, of those admitted. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients met the study inclusion criteria. Forty-two patients (67%) were aged ≥70 y, 30 (47.6%) were male and 34.9% ( n = 22) had a poGPS ≥1. ITU admission was significantly associated with a high VFA ( P < 0.05). Thirty-day mortality was associated with high VFA (P < 0.05) and low SMI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia in the presence of obesity was associated with clinical outcomes including greater 30-d mortality.

Longitudinal changes to quadriceps thickness demonstrate acute sarcopenia following admission to hospital for an exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease.

Acute admission to hospital for an exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) may impair skeletal muscle mass and function. We measured quadriceps thickness (Qthick), as a surrogate marker of muscle mass, at hospital admission, discharge, 6 weeks and 3 months in 55 patients with CRD. Qthick fell by 8.3% during the period of hospitalisation, which was sustained at 6 weeks, and only partially recovered at 3 months. Sustained loss was most marked in patients readmitted during the follow-up period. Acute reduction in quadriceps muscle mass occurs during hospitalisation, with prolonged and variable recovery, which is prevented with subsequent hospital readmission.

Impact of COVID-19 on nutritional status during the first wave of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients affected by COVID-19 may develop disease related malnutrition (DRM) due to the catabolic situation, symptoms that interfere with intake and prolonged hospital stay. This study aims to know the percentage of patients admitted for COVID-19 who required artificial nutrition (AN), their clinical characteristics, as well as the prevalence of DRM and the risk of sarcopenia at hospital discharge and after 6 months. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, prospective study, with successive inclusion of adult patients admitted for COVID-19 in whom institutional nutritional support (NS) care protocol was applied. Those who received AN underwent a nutritional screening by Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) and an assessment by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) at hospital discharge, as well as a screening for sarcopenia (SARC-F test) and SNAQ re-test 15 days and 6 months after by a phone call. Symptoms related to food intake, anthropometric and analytical data were also collected. RESULTS: We evaluated 936 patients with a mean age of 63.7 ± 15.3 years; predominantly male (59.7%), overweight 41%, obesity 40.4%; hypertension 52.9%; diabetes mellitus 26.6% and cancer 10.4%. The stay hospital length was 17.3 ± 13.8 days and 13.6% patients died during hospitalization. The modality of nutritional support was: 86.1% dietary adaptation + oral nutritional supplements (ONS); 12.4% enteral nutrition (EN) by nasogastric (NG) tube; 0.9% parenteral nutrition (PN) and 0.6% EN plus PN. Focusing on patients who received AN, follow-up post discharge was possible in 62 out of 87 who survived. Of these, at the time of hospital discharge, 96.7% presented nutritional risk by SNAQ and 100% malnutrition by SGA (20% B; 80% C). During admission, 82.3% presented intense anorexia and the mean weight loss was 10.9 ± 6 Kg (p < 0.001). Fifteen days after being discharged, 12.9% still had anorexia, while hyperphagia appeared in 85.5% of the patients and risk of sarcopenia by SARC-F was present in 87.1% of them. Six months after discharge, 6.8% still had anorexia and 3.4% hyperphagia, with a global weight gain of 4.03 ± 6.2 Kg (p=<0.0001). Risk of malnutrition was present in only 1.7% of the patients, although risk of sarcopenia persisted in 49.2%. CONCLUSION: All patients admitted by COVID-19 for whom EN or PN were indicated following an institutional protocol still presented malnutrition at hospital discharge, and almost all showed risk of sarcopenia, that persisted in almost half of them at 6 months. These findings suggest that nutritional and functional problems persist in these patients after discharge, indicating that they require prolonged nutritional support and monitoring.

Poor nutritional status, risk of sarcopenia and nutrition related complaints are prevalent in COVID-19 patients during and after hospital admission.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with COVID-19 infection presents with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and complications. As a consequence nutritional requirements are not met, resulting in weight- and muscle loss, and malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to delineate nutritional complaints, the (course of the) nutritional status and risk of sarcopenia of COVID-19 patients, during hospitalisation and after discharge. METHODS: In this prospective observational study in 407 hospital admitted COVID-19 patients in four university and peripheral hospitals, data were collected during dietetic consultations. Presence of nutrition related complaints (decreased appetite, loss of smell, changed taste, loss of taste, chewing and swallowing problems, nausea, vomiting, feeling of being full, stool frequency and consistency, gastric retention, need for help with food intake due to weakness and shortness of breath and nutritional status (weight loss, BMI, risk of sarcopenia with SARC-F ≥4 points) before, during hospital stay and after discharge were, where possible, collected. RESULTS: Included patients were most men (69%), median age of 64.8 ± 12.4 years, 60% were admitted to ICU at any time point during hospitalisation with a median LOS of 15 days and an in-hospital mortality rate of 21%. The most commonly reported complaints were: decreased appetite (58%), feeling of being full (49%) and shortness of breath (43%). One in three patients experienced changed taste, loss of taste and/or loss of smell. Prior to hospital admission, 67% of the patients was overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2), 35% of the patients was characterised as malnourished, mainly caused by considerable weight loss. Serious acute weight loss (>5 kg) was showed in 22% of the patents during the hospital stay; most of these patients (85%) were admitted to the ICU at any point in time. A high risk of sarcopenia (SARC-F ≥ 4 points) was scored in 73% of the patients during hospital admission. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, one in five hospital admitted COVID-19 patients suffered from serious acute weight loss and 73% had a high risk of sarcopenia. Moreover, almost all patients had one or more nutritional complaints. Of these complaints, decreased appetite, feeling of being full, shortness of breath and changed taste and loss of taste were the most predominant nutrition related complaints. These symptoms have serious repercussions on nutritional status. Although nutritional complaints persisted a long time after discharge, only a small group of patients received dietetic treatment after hospital discharge in recovery phase. Clinicians should consider the risks of acute malnutrition and sarcopenia in COVID-19 patients and investigate multidisciplinary treatment including dietetics during hospital stay and after discharge.

COVID-19-induced sarcopenia and physical deconditioning may require reassessment of surgical risk for patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: The long-term physiological consequences of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infection are not known. The ability of COVID-19 to cause chronic illness, sarcopenia, and physical deconditioning may be underestimated and go beyond the anticipated respiratory sequelae. Myalgia, lethargy, and anorexia are common symptoms even in mild to moderate cases and have the potential to exacerbate frailty. How this impacts on risk-stratification for patients requiring surgery for time-critical conditions, such as malignancy, requires further urgent investigation. MAIN BODY: The deleterious effect of sarcopenia and poor physical capacity are well recognised in cancer surgery. This review commentary highlights current evidence which suggests skeletal muscle as an under recognised cause of COVID-19-related functional deconditioning. The mechanisms behind this are via direct (viral induced myositis, nutritional decline, cytokine-mediated myopathy) and indirect mechanisms (social isolation, inactivity, and psychological consequences). CONCLUSION: Further mechanistic research is required to explore the processes behind the deconditioning effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and how this impacts on treatment of malignant disease.