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Nutritional aspects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Daniel A King1, Francis Cordova, Steven M Scharf
1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Maryland, MD 21201, USA.
Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society
|May 6, 2008
Summary
Being underweight is a poor prognostic sign in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nutritional supplementation may improve outcomes, but long-term benefits and optimal strategies require further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Critical Care
Background:
- Undernutrition and underweight are significant indicators of poor prognosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
- The severity of airflow obstruction correlates with undernutrition in COPD patients.
- While weight and BMI are initial screening tools, fat-free mass (FFM) may be a more precise marker for undernutrition in COPD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of undernutrition in COPD.
- To explore the causes and potential interventions for cachexia in COPD patients.
- To evaluate the current evidence regarding nutritional supplementation and its long-term effects on COPD outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing studies on COPD, nutrition, and cachexia.
- Analysis of the multifactorial causes of cachexia in COPD, including respiratory mechanics and systemic inflammation.
- Examination of the effects of nutritional interventions on body composition, respiratory muscle function, and exercise performance.
Main Results:
- Nutritional supplementation can lead to weight gain and improved respiratory muscle function and exercise performance in undernourished COPD patients.
- The long-term efficacy of nutritional supplementation and the optimal type of supplementation remain unclear.
- Novel treatments targeting FFM, such as androgens or appetite stimulants, warrant further research.
Conclusions:
- While short-term improvements are observed, definitive data on the long-term survival benefits of nutritional interventions in COPD is lacking.
- Enhanced caloric intake, anabolic steroids, or appetite stimulants need further study to confirm their impact on COPD patient survival.
- Current evidence suggests nutritional interventions are a promising area for further research in managing COPD-related undernutrition.
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