[The nutritional status and immune function of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

The nutritional status and immune function of 14 patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were assessed and were studied again one week after the patients had recovered. The results showed that the nutritional status of the patients was poorer on admission, the level of some kinds of serum free amino acid was significantly lower than the normal value, the value of branch-chain amino acid (BCAA) was significantly lower than that in healthy people (P < 0.01), but the level of aromatic amino acid (AAA) was higher than the normal value. Level of serum free fatty acid was significantly lower during admission and in recovery period (P < 0.01). It is suggested that shortage of essential fatty acid in the patients is obvious. The results also showed that the patients identified as malnourished had a lower cellular immune function, but the humoral immune function was not significant between the patients group and control group. Immune function was improved with the recovery nutritional status of the patients. The results suggest that malnutrition and hypoimmunity may play a very important role in the pathogenesis of COPD.