Patients with higher than and at median pectoral muscle density (39.5 Hounsfield Unit ) had better 1-year survival in the overall cohort (hazard ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.673, 0.989 p = 0.039), with the 6-month cohort showing a trend (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.603, 1.023 p = 0.074) towards improved survival. Out of 157 patients with readable CT scans (median age 55 years, interquartile range 10% women), 31 died on 1-year follow up. Low-density muscle (LDM) area and liver density were analysed as continuous variables. Cox and linear regression models examined the risk of death and LOS, respectively, according to median (above or below) pectoral muscle density.

Axial chest CT scans were analysed for liver and muscle density at the 12th thoracic vertebrae and aortic arch landmarks, respectively. MethodsĪll patients at a quaternary care hospital between 1999 to 2018 with preheart transplant CT scans and available data on transplant outcomes were eligible ( n = 189), including a subset within the total cohort with scans 6-month pretransplant ( n = 103). We investigated the prognostic value of CT measures of tissue density for predicting hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality post-transplant. Computed tomography (CT)-derived measures of tissue quality can add to frailty assessment and improve selection of candidates for heart transplant.

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