Body compositions phenotypes of older adults with COPD

Changes in nutritional status are important extrapulmonary manifestations of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study aimed to assess the prevalence of different body composition phenotypes in older patients with COPD and to investigate the relationship between these phenotypes and the severity of the disease, as well as physical performance of the subjects.

The study included 124 subjects aged ≥60 with COPD. In all of them body composition analysis and muscle strength measurement were performed. Additionally, data from patients' medical records were analyzed. Study sample was divided into four groups based on the phenotypic body composition: normal phenotype (N), sarcopenia, obesity and sarcopenic obesity (SO).

Incidence of sarcopenia was significantly higher in patients with severe or very severe COPD based on GOLD in comparison with subjects with mild or moderate obstruction (p = 0.043). Participants with sarcopenia, obesity and SO had lower results of the 6-min walk test than subjects with N (225.77 m, 275.33 m, 350.67 m, 403.56 m, respectively). Moreover, sarcopenia and SO had lower results than obesity (p = 0.001, p = 0.041, respectively).

Sarcopenia is common in patients with advanced COPD. Sarcopenia and SO are associated with poorer physical performance. All older people with COPD should routinely have their body composition assessed, instead of simply measuring of body weight or body mass index (BMI).