From Imaging to Insight: Sarcopenia as a Stratifying Marker in VA-ECMO Mortality.

This article discusses the role of sarcopenia, a condition characterized by low muscle mass, as a potential marker for mortality in patients undergoing VA-ECMO implantation for postcardiotomy shock. The study retrospectively analyzed 439 patients who underwent ECMO implantation and identified 144 patients who had a perioperative computed tomography scan. The study found that patients with sarcopenia had a significantly higher 30-day mortality rate compared to those without sarcopenia. The authors suggest that sarcopenia could be used as a supplemental tool for risk stratification in these patients. [Extracted from the article]