The Underappreciated Role of Low Muscle Mass in the Management of Malnutrition.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and expert opinion without systematic search or primary data
PubMed 30580819 · doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2018.11.021
What was done
This is a narrative review examining the role of low muscle mass in malnutrition. The authors review current clinical approaches and formulate five practice recommendations for identifying, assessing, and managing muscle loss in clinical settings.
What was found
The abstract reports no primary data or numerical effect estimates. It notes that low muscle mass is linked to adverse outcomes in COPD, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, as well as increased readmissions and mortality. Five recommendations are provided: centering muscle mass in nutritional assessment, measuring muscle mass, establishing management pathways, optimizing nutrition for muscle gain rather than general weight gain, and promoting exercise or rehabilitation.
Why it matters
It highlights the clinical shift from tracking total body weight to evaluating body composition and muscle preservation in patients with or at risk of malnutrition.
Limits
As a narrative review, it provides no primary empirical data, quantitative synthesis, or systematic search methodology. Specific assessment thresholds and intervention regimens are not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Skeletal muscle mass loss during hospital admission is a significant predictor of clinical complications and hospital readmission.