SynthesisSpine deformity2026
Radiographic paraspinal muscle size in adult spinal deformity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Spine deformity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeReduced trunk muscle quantity or quality, commonly assessed using imaging-based metrics, has been associated with adverse outcomes in spine surgery. However, evidence specific to adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery remains heterogeneous and methodologically limited. This systematic review aimed to synthesize existing muscle metrics and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing ASD surgery.
methodsA systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE was performed to identify studies evaluating imaging-based muscle quantity or quality in adult patients (≥ 18 years) undergoing thoracolumbar corrective surgery. Eligible studies employed radiographic measures of muscle status. Outcomes of interest were postoperative complications, reoperation, readmission, length of stay (LOS), and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Data were extracted based on study design, patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and follow-up. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4, with odds ratios (ORs) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences for continuous outcomes.
resultsFifteen studies met the eligibility criteria in this review. Meta-analysis demonstrated substantial heterogeneity across studies, particularly for proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and length of stay (LOS), limiting the interpretability of pooled estimates. No statistically significant differences were observed for reoperation, readmission, wound complications, or patient-reported outcomes. A modest increase in LOS was observed in patients with lower muscle metrics, although this finding was highly heterogeneous and may reflect residual confounding.
conclusionCurrent evidence examining imaging-based muscle metrics in ASD surgery is characterized by substantial heterogeneity and predominantly retrospective study designs. While reduced muscle quantity or quality may be associated with postoperative outcomes, existing data do not support definitive conclusions or causal inferences. These findings highlight the need for standardized muscle assessment methods and prospective studies incorporating validated sarcopenia criteria to better clarify the clinical relevance of muscle health in ASD surgery.
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Registered trials
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