Impact of Changes in Body Composition after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation on Morbidity and Mortality: A Systematic Review.

Changes in body composition, including the reversal of sarcopenia, after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation have been reported to impact morbidity and mortality. This systematic review aims to identify changes in body composition that could serve as markers for post-TIPS outcomes in patients with cirrhosis. Electronic databases including Ovid Medline, Embase, and Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to February 5, 2025 to analyze the impact of changes in body composition on post-TIPS outcomes in patients with cirrhosis. A total of 16 studies were included in the review. Most studies reported that post-TIPS skeletal muscle gain often caused a reversal of sarcopenia (18%-66%) and contributed to improvements in morbidity and mortality. In particular, patients with pre-TIPS sarcopenia received the greatest benefit. Skeletal muscle index showed the most substantial increase within 6 months after TIPS creation, while the psoas muscle index or the transverse psoas muscle thickness/ height increased as early as 1-3 months after TIPS creation. Reversal of sarcopenia after TIPS creation may contribute to improvements in morbidity and mortality in cirrhosis. Skeletal muscle tends to show the most substantial increase within 6 months after TIPS creation, with the psoas muscle index observed as an early imaging biomarker. Further research is needed to identify the underlying physiologic mechanisms responsible for these observed body composition changes and to prospectively assess the impact on clinical outcomes.