ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SARCOPENIA AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Sarcopenia constitutes an important muscle abnormality in critically ill patients and may be related to the clinical course during and after admission to intensive care units. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence on the association between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units. An integrative literature review was conducted according to the steps proposed by Mendes, Silveira and Galvão, with searches in the MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO databases. Original studies published between 2016 and 2025, available in full text, in Portuguese or English, involving critically ill adult patients and investigating the relationship between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes were included. A total of 1.267 articles were identified, of which six studies were included after applying the eligibility criteria. The findings demonstrated an association between reduced muscle mass or quality and higher mortality, prolonged mechanical ventilation, longer hospitalization and poorer functional recovery. Muscle assessment using computed tomography was prominent among the methods employed, although alternatives such as bioimpedance also demonstrated potential for identifying low muscle mass. It is concluded that sarcopenia shows a consistent association with unfavorable clinical outcomes in critically ill patients, reinforcing the importance of muscle assessment for risk stratification and the planning of multiprofessional strategies.