Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the factors influencing sarcopenia in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in mainland China and to explore the role of phase angle (PhA) in sarcopenia.

Methods: We enrolled 346 patients on MHD with regular dialysis and collected relevant data. According to the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group, the patients were placed into one of two groups: sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia. The differences between groups were compared and the statistically significant factors were included in binary logistic regression analysis to screen for independent factors influencing sarcopenia. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were used to evaluate the predictive value of PhA in sarcopenia.

Results: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 32.66% in patients on MHD. Logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was significantly associated with age (odds ratio [OR], 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.15; P < 0.001), body mass index (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.58-0.76; P < 0.001), and PhA (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.15-0.40; P < 0.001). The best cutoff value of PhA on sarcopenia was 4.67° for both sexes, 4.67° and 4.60° for men and women, respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The present study showed that PhA was an important influencing factor of sarcopenia adjusted by age and body mass index in Asian patients on MHD. PhA may have an optimistic predictive value to identify sarcopenia in these population, and it is convenient and accessible in clinical practice than the diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia.