Heart failure & cardiomyopathies
Body Composition in Heart Failure: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry Assessment in the UK Biobank Study
Authors' conclusion
Participants with HF showed higher VAT and adverse muscle changes, with weaker grip strength. Sarcopenia prevalence varied substantially across definitions, reflecting substantial variability and discrepancies among current sarcopenia definitions and criteria. Traditional anthropometric indexes underestimate the burden of body composition derangements in HF.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank Imaging Study participants with heart failure (HF) (HFrEF, HFmrEF, HFpEF) and matched controls
- Participants
- 185 vs 925
- Comparison
- HF vs matched controls
- HFn = 185
- Controln = 925reference
- Outcome
- MRI body composition: VAT, MFI, AMC and MV
Methodological details1:5 matched (age, sex, BMI), UK Biobank Imaging Study
- 1:5 matched (age, sex, BMI)
- UK Biobank Imaging Study
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
AMC
P < 0.001
| Outcome | HF | Control | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| VAT z-score | 0.46 ± 1.1 | 0.07 ± 1.0 | |
| MFI | 8.4 ± 2.3% | 7.6 ± 2.0% | P < 0.001 |
| MV z-score | −0.7 ± 1.0 | −0.1 ± 0.9 |
- HF vs Control: P < 0.001 — visceral adipose tissue (VAT) higher
- HF vs Control: P < 0.001 — muscle volume (MV) lower
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Sarcopenia prevalence (grip strength + DXA lean mass)
- Prevalence varied considerably depending on the criteria applied
HF subtypes
- HFmrEF: highest VAT and lowest MV
- HFpEF: greater fat and muscle fat infiltration (MFI)
- HFrEF: greatest prevalence of adverse muscle composition (AMC) and weakest grip strength
Original publication
Body Composition in Heart Failure: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry Assessment in the UK Biobank Study. JACC Heart Fail. Published 4 August 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it