Background/Aim: The effect of sarcopenia on patients with severe Covid-19 disease is unknown. We aimed to assess the influence of baseline computed tomography (CT)-based body composition parameters (pectoralis muscle area, pectoralis muscle index, skeletal muscle gauge) on clinical variables in patients with severe Covid-19 disease. Patients and Methods: Chest CT scans of adult patients with confirmed Covid-19 who were hospitalized from March 2020 to May 2021 at a level-one medical center in Germany were retrospectively analyzed. Pectoralis muscle area, pectoralis muscle index and skeletal muscle gauge were measured on the first CT scan after admission. Body composition parameters were assessed for association with clinical variables and 30day mortality. Results: A total of 46 patients were included. None of the body composition parameters was a predictor for 30-day mortality, duration of hospital stay, duration of intensive care unit treatment, or duration of invasive mechanical ventilation. Conclusion: Pectoralis muscle composition parameters in CT chest scans did not predict outcomes in adult patients with severe Covid-19 infection.Sarcopenia is an abnormal body composition defined as the loss of muscle mass, low muscle strength, and impaired muscle quality (1). Screening measures include clinical parameters as well as image-based techniques (1, 2). Sarcopenia is common in patients aged 65 years and older and has been related to worse clinical outcome, disability, This article is freely accessible online.

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Purpose To analyze relationships betweenapparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and activity parameters of Crohn’s disease, e.g., length and wall thickness, CRP, FCP, MaRIA, CDAI, SES-CD, histologic inflammatory activity score, and the histological fibrotic score, based upon published data. Materials and methods MEDLINE library, Scopus, and Embase databases were screened for association between ADC and activity parameters of Crohn’s disease in patients with Crohn’s disease up to Mai 2021. Overall, 21 studies with 1053 patients were identified. The following data were extracted from the literature: number of patients, correlation coefficients between ADC and length as well as wall thickness, CRP, FCP, MaRIA, CDAI, and SES-CD, inflammatory activity score, and fibrotic score. Associations between ADC and activity parameters were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The studies’ methodologic quality was evaluated by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies (QUADAS 2) instrument, revealing a low risk of bias. Results In the overall sample, the pooled correlation coefficient between ADC and CDAI was −0.8 (95% CI = [−0.94; −0.65]), between ADC and MaRIA −0.66 (95% CI = [−0.79; −0.53]). A strong association was observed between ADC and SES-CD with a pooled correlation of −0.66 (95% CI = [−0.87; −0.46]). The pooled sensitivity to discriminate between involved and non-involved bowel segments was 0.89, with an area under the curve of 0.89 Conclusions ADC showed strong inverse correlations with CDAI, MaRIA, and SES-CD scores. However, the role of ADC in assessing fibrotic changes in the bowel wall is limited. ADC can reflect acute inflammatory reactions but not systemic inflammation. Key Points • ADC value can reflect acute inflammatory reactions but not systemic inflammation. • ADC is inversely correlated with CDAI, MaRIA, and SES-CD. • The role of ADC in assessing fibrotic changes in the bowel wall is limited.