E88.A Wasting disease (syndrome) due to underlying condition

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applicable to

• Cachexia due to underlying condition

Excludes1 (never code together)

• cachexia NOS (R64)
• nutritional marasmus (E41)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• failure to thrive (R62.51, R62.7)

Code first

• underlying condition

Applies from E88 Other and unspecified metabolic disorders

Excludes1 (never code together)

• histiocytosis X (chronic) (C96.6)

Use additional code

• codes for associated conditions

Risk adjustment (HCC)

• CMS-HCC V22: HCC 21 — Protein-Calorie Malnutrition
• ESRD V24: HCC 21

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 642 in MDC 10.

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Unacceptable principal diagnosis: These codes describe a circumstance which influences care but is not a current illness or injury, or capture only an underlying condition, and are unacceptable as principal diagnosis.

Code annotations containing back-references to E88.A

Back-references to E88.A

• Use Additional: E23.0 Hypopituitarism ("code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A)")
• Use Additional: J65 Pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis ("code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A)")
• Use Additional: N18 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) ("associated cachexia (E88.A)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R64 Cachexia ("cachexia due to underlying condition (E88.A)")

Back-references to E88

• Type 2 Excludes: G11 Hereditary ataxia ("metabolic disorders (E70-E88)")
• Code First: G63 Polyneuropathy in diseases classified elsewhere ("metabolic diseases (E70-E88)")
• Type 2 Excludes: G71 Primary disorders of muscles ("metabolic disorders (E70-E88)")
• Code First: H42 Glaucoma in diseases classified elsewhere ("specified metabolic disorder (E70-E88)")
• Type 2 Excludes: N25.0 Renal osteodystrophy ("metabolic disorders classifiable to E70-E88")
• Type 2 Excludes: N25.81 Secondary hyperparathyroidism of renal origin ("metabolic disorders classifiable to E70-E88")
• Type 1 Excludes: P59 Neonatal jaundice from other and unspecified causes ("jaundice due to inborn errors of metabolism (E70-E88)")

Diagnosis Index entries for E88.A

• Cachexia › due to › malnutrition
• Cachexia › due to › underlying condition
• Disease, diseased › wasting NEC
• Disease, diseased › wasting NEC › due to › underlying condition
• Syndrome › wasting (syndrome) due to underlying condition
• Wasting › disease (syndrome)
• Wasting › disease (syndrome) › due to › underlying condition

Nearby codes

• E88.818 Other insulin resistance
• E88.819 Insulin resistance, unspecified
• E88.82 Obesity due to disruption of MC4R pathway
• E88.89 Other specified metabolic disorders
• E88.9 Metabolic disorder, unspecified
• E88.A Wasting disease (syndrome) due to underlying condition (this code)