Dylan Leon

Project: "Lower psoas muscle density, a proxy of sarcopenia, associates with 30 – day mortality in patients with acute variceal bleeding, independent of baseline liver function."

Medical Student Essay Prize Winner 2024

Dylan is holding his awards certificate and is smiling at the camera

Mr Leon summarises:

“The incidence of cirrhosis (liver scarring) and related complications, such as acute variceal bleeding (AVB), is rising globally. My study explores whether sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass), measured by psoas muscle size and density, can predict outcomes in AVB patients.

Researchers found that lower psoas muscle density was linked to higher 30-day mortality, independent of liver disease severity. A novel score combining liver function and muscle density improved predictions of patient mortality. These findings suggest that muscle health could be a useful tool for identifying high-risk patients and guiding treatment decisions in AVB cases.

What did it feel like to win this award?

Winning the award has been amazing. Being rewarded for all the time and effort put into writing the essay has been a great feeling. Looking further down the line to my career, this award provides a significant addition to my portfolio and will set me apart from other candidates when applying for speciality training posts.”

Read more about Mr Leon’s project, focused on the liver, below.

Dr-Falk-GUTS-Awards-Summary-Dylan-Leon

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