People with kidney disease who use peritoneal dialysis (a type of home kidney treatment) often experience muscle loss, a condition called sarcopenia. This can make them weaker and affect their quality of life. Scientists are looking for special blood markers—basically signals in the blood that show when muscles are breaking down—that could help doctors catch this problem early. This review examines different blood markers that might help identify muscle loss before it becomes serious, potentially opening new ways to help these patients stay stronger.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether certain substances found in blood can help doctors detect muscle loss early in people receiving peritoneal dialysis for kidney disease
  • Who participated: This was a review of existing research rather than a new study with participants. The authors looked at many previous studies about muscle loss in dialysis patients
  • Key finding: Several blood markers show promise for detecting muscle loss, including substances called myostatin, follistatin, GDF-15, irisin, and others. These markers may help doctors identify the problem before patients become noticeably weaker
  • What it means for you: If you or a loved one receives peritoneal dialysis, future blood tests might be able to catch muscle loss early, allowing doctors to intervene sooner. However, these tests are not yet standard practice and more research is needed

The Research Details

This is a review article, meaning the authors didn’t conduct a new experiment. Instead, they carefully read and analyzed many existing scientific studies about muscle loss in dialysis patients. They looked at research about different substances in the blood that might signal when muscles are breaking down. The authors examined what scientists currently know about how these blood markers work and whether they could be useful tools for doctors.

The researchers focused on understanding the biological process of muscle loss in dialysis patients and identifying which blood markers have the most potential. They organized information about various substances produced by muscles (called myokines) and other markers that reflect muscle health, including vitamin D, growth factors, and hormones.

This approach is important because muscle loss is a serious but often overlooked problem in dialysis patients. By reviewing all available research, the authors can identify the most promising blood markers and point out where more research is needed. This type of review helps guide future studies and can eventually lead to practical tools doctors can use in clinics

As a review article, this work synthesizes existing knowledge rather than presenting new experimental data. The reliability depends on the quality of studies reviewed and how thoroughly the authors covered the topic. Review articles are useful for identifying trends and gaps in research, but they don’t provide the strongest level of evidence on their own. The findings suggest directions for future research rather than definitive answers

What the Results Show

The review identifies multiple blood markers that appear to be connected to muscle loss in dialysis patients. Myostatin and follistatin are proteins that regulate muscle growth and breakdown—when myostatin is high, muscles tend to break down more. Follistatin appears to work against this process. Another marker called GDF-15 increases when the body is stressed, including during muscle loss.

Irisin is a substance released by muscles during exercise that may help protect muscle health. Adiponectin and leptin are hormones related to body composition and metabolism. IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) is important for muscle growth and repair. Vitamin D plays a role in muscle function. Myoglobin is a protein found in muscles that leaks into the blood when muscles are damaged. Cortisol, a stress hormone, increases during muscle breakdown.

The authors suggest that measuring combinations of these markers in blood tests could help doctors identify patients at risk for muscle loss before it becomes severe. This early detection could allow for earlier treatment interventions.

The review highlights that sarcopenia in dialysis patients involves complex biological processes. Kidney disease affects how the body handles proteins, hormones, and nutrients—all of which influence muscle health. The dialysis process itself, along with reduced physical activity and dietary restrictions, contributes to muscle loss. Understanding these multiple causes suggests that effective treatment might require addressing several factors simultaneously

Muscle loss in dialysis patients has been recognized as a problem for years, but most research has focused on measuring muscle directly through imaging or physical tests. This review represents a shift toward finding blood-based markers that could be easier and faster to use in clinical practice. Previous research identified individual markers, but this review brings together knowledge about multiple markers and their potential combined use

This is a review of existing research rather than a new study, so it cannot provide definitive proof that these blood markers work for diagnosis. The individual studies reviewed may have had different methods and quality levels. Most of the research on these markers comes from studies in other patient populations, not specifically in dialysis patients. More research is needed to determine which markers work best, what levels indicate problems, and how useful they would be in actual clinical practice

The Bottom Line

For dialysis patients: Stay alert to signs of unusual weakness or muscle loss and discuss them with your nephrologist (kidney doctor). For healthcare providers: Consider monitoring for muscle loss in dialysis patients, though standard blood marker testing for this purpose is not yet established. Future clinical practice may include these blood tests once more research confirms their usefulness. Confidence level: Moderate—this is promising research direction, but not yet ready for widespread clinical use

This research is most relevant to people receiving peritoneal dialysis, their families, and their healthcare providers. It’s also important for researchers studying kidney disease and muscle health. People with other types of kidney disease or dialysis methods should discuss with their doctors whether these findings might apply to them. This is less immediately relevant to people without kidney disease

These blood markers are not yet available as standard clinical tests. It may take 3-5 years or more of additional research before these tests become available in regular medical practice. If and when they do become available, benefits would depend on how quickly doctors can intervene with treatments to prevent or slow muscle loss

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly grip strength using a simple home grip strength meter (available inexpensively online). Record the measurement weekly at the same time of day. This provides a practical measure of muscle function that complements future blood marker testing
  • Set a goal for light resistance exercises or muscle-strengthening activities 2-3 times per week, as tolerated and approved by your doctor. Use the app to log these activities and track consistency. Even gentle resistance (like resistance bands or light weights) may help maintain muscle mass
  • Create a monthly summary in the app combining grip strength measurements, exercise frequency, and any symptoms of weakness. Share this with your healthcare provider at dialysis appointments to monitor trends over time and discuss whether blood marker testing might be appropriate

This review discusses emerging research on blood markers for muscle loss in dialysis patients. These markers are not yet standard diagnostic tools and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat muscle loss. If you receive peritoneal dialysis and are concerned about muscle weakness or loss, consult your nephrologist or kidney care team. Any changes to your exercise routine or treatment plan should be discussed with your healthcare provider first. This information is educational and does not replace professional medical advice