Skeletal muscle mass increases after viral eradication with direct-acting antivirals in patients with chronic hepatitis C: A longitudinal study.

Background: Results of studies evaluating the effect of viral eradication following direct-acting antiviral (DDA) therapy on skeletal muscle mass of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are scarce.

Aim: To assess the components of sarcopenia (low muscle mass, low muscle strength and low physical performance) in a cohort of CHC individuals before and after DAA therapy.

Methods: We performed a longitudinal study of patients with CHC who underwent body composition assessment before (T0), and at 12 (T1) and 48 (T2) weeks after DDA therapy.

Agreement and diagnostic differences among three definitions of sarcopenia in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: There is neither a gold standard definition nor a universal consensus to diagnose sarcopenia in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Thus, we aimed to compare the prevalence of sarcopenia and the agreement and discrepancies between European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP1), EWGSOP2, and Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium Sarcopenia Project (FNIH) definitions in chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to assess muscle mass by quantifying appendicular lean mass (ALM) adjusted for squared height (ALM/ht) or for body mass index (ALM).