The Impact of Sarcopenia on Mortality in Trauma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review will examine whether CT-defined sarcopenia on admission predicts mortality after traumatic injury. Sarcopenia, as defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, represents a state of diminished skeletal muscle mass and physiologic reserve that may increase vulnerability to acute stress. Because whole-body CT imaging is routinely performed in modern trauma care, it offers a practical opportunity to identify sarcopenia early without additional testing. We will conduct a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to evaluate both short-term (≤30 days) and long-term (>30 days) mortality outcomes. We hypothesize sarcopenia to be positively associated with mortality and anticipate this associated to be a clinically meaningful prognostic marker reflecting impaired physiologic reserve. Expected outcomes of this work include advancing CT-based risk stratification in trauma care, promoting standardization of imaging definitions, and supporting early multidisciplinary interventions such as nutritional optimization and mobilization. Ultimately, this research provides a foundation for integrating body composition analysis into trauma systems and for developing prospective, AI-enabled approaches to precision risk prediction and targeted intervention.