Sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease: prevalence, pathogenesis and clinical significance

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a chronic catabolic condition accompanied by sarcopenia, manifested by decreased muscle mass, strength, and endurance. As defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in the Elderly (EWGSOP), sar-copenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls, fractures, physical disability, and mortality. Its prevalence in patients with CKD, according to various sources, varies from 3.9 to 65.5 %, depending on gender, age, and stage of the disease. It develops as a result of an imbalance between protein degradation and synthesis. The development of muscle atrophy is associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and leads to the progression of atherosclerosis. This scientific review contains current information on the problem of sar-copenia in patients with CKD, its prevalence, the molecular basis of pathogenesis, as well as its contribution to cardiovascular risk and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the discussed group.