LINKÖPING, Sweden, March 22, 2023 — AMRA researchers together with Linköping University and Virginia Commonwealth University conducted a large, observational study to investigate the associations of all-cause mortality with liver fat, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and muscle composition.
A key assessment in this study was the adverse muscle composition (AMC), which is the combination of low muscle volume z-score with high muscle fat infiltration. Based on previous studies, AMC is prevalent in people with NAFLD and has been linked to increased comorbidity (coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes) and poor function in NAFLD, as well as to all-cause mortality within the general population.
This study analyzed images from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 40,174 UK Biobank participants to quantify liver fat and muscle composition. In order to detect AMC, the following key measurements were obtained:
- fat-free muscle volume (FFMV) z-score
- muscle fat infiltration (MFI)
This was done using AMRA Medical’s MRI-based technology— a volumetric assessment with the unique capacity to measure both FFMV and MFI.
The study found that AMC was the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality, even when compared to measures of functional performance such as low hand grip strength and slow walking pace. Furthermore, although the combination of FFMV z-score and MFI identified the participants at the highest risk, MFI proved a strong and independent predictor of all-cause mortality by itself and remained significant after adjusting for relevant comorbidities.
The results of this study have clear and important implications for the early detection and management of NAFLD. Furthermore, the ability to precisely analyze muscle composition has broad applications for assessing treatment in any progressive disease that causes loss of muscle mass and function (i.e., sarcopenia). By considering muscle health in the early stages of liver disease, healthcare professionals can identify high-risk patients and implement preventative care to reduce the risk of all-cause mortality.
“A combined assessment of both muscle volume and fat infiltration has been shown to effectively stratify the most vulnerable individuals within a wide range of individuals, from the general population to NAFLD, chronic kidney disease, critically ill patients, and patients with pancreatic cancer.”
Read the full publication titled ‘Adverse muscle composition is a significant risk factor for all-cause mortality in NAFLD’ at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100663
About AMRA Medical
AMRA is a health informatics company at the forefront of medical imaging and precision medicine. The company has developed a game-changing body composition assessment through their whole-body MRI-based technology, which accurately assesses key measurements, such as muscle composition (MFI and FFMV) and body fat distribution (visceral-, subcutaneous, and liver fat). The objective assessment of muscle quality and quantity, along with a unique informatics platform, can give insight into varying muscle phenotypes in different disease progression states, appealing to any group investigating the biological nuances of liver disease or developing the next generation of liver disease therapeutics and interventions. Such research has led to AMRA’s clinical offering which may assist clinicians with patient care decisions.
Learn more about AMRA Medical’s MRI-based clinical services or connect with our team of experts for a detailed discussion at info@amramedical.com.
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