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Nutritional intervention in malnourished patients with emphysema
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|October 1, 1986
Summary
Malnourished patients with emphysema gained weight and improved muscle strength when provided adequate calories. Their inability to ingest sufficient calories was not the cause of weight loss.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Malnutrition is associated with pulmonary emphysema.
- Nutritional status correlates with pulmonary function in emphysema patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate energy requirements in malnourished emphysema patients.
- To assess the effects of nutritional repletion on pulmonary function and nutritional status.
Main Methods:
- Studied 6 malnourished emphysema patients over 3 weeks.
- Provided ad libitum food intake with oral supplementation if caloric goals were unmet.
- Measured body weight, anthropometric parameters, spirometry, lung volumes, DLCO, respiratory pressures, and handgrip strength.
Main Results:
- All patients exceeded maintenance energy requirements and gained weight.
- Significant improvements observed in body weight, percent ideal body weight, and anthropometric nutritional parameters.
- Maximal inspiratory pressures and peripheral skeletal muscle strength (handgrip) significantly increased.
- No significant changes in spirometry, lung volumes, or DLCO were noted.
Conclusions:
- Inadequate caloric intake is not the primary cause of weight loss in these patients.
- Nutritional repletion with excess calories leads to weight gain.
- Weight gain and improved nutrition are associated with enhanced ventilatory and peripheral muscle strength.