Source: Annual Congress 2010 - COPD: treatment and monitoring
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Background
In patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), weight loss frequently occurs and leads to cachexia indicating a severely impaired pulmonary function and health status. Furthermore, nutritional status may influence the occurrence of acute exacerbations which is a major component in the decrement of quality of life and increased mortality.
Aims
Investigate whether initial Body Mass Index (BMI) or weight loss in COPD patients are considered risk factors for exacerbations.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted with 68 outpatients with COPD. Data from patients‘ records was obtained and included: age, gender, smoking habits, weight, BMI and lung function (FEV1). Weight change and exacerbations were evaluated after the follow up period (1 year).
Results
This sample includes 68 patients diagnosed with COPD (13 [female] and 55 [male]) with an overall mean age of 70.6±9.1 years. Mean BMI was 26.4±4.4 and 28.0±5.8 kg/m² (male and female respectively) and 8.8% of the patients had BMI < 21 kg/m². Mean FEV1 (% of predicted) was 42.5±16.2. Most of the patients had advanced COPD (GOLD III (27.9%); GOLD IV (47.1%)). BMI for each stage of the disease was GOLD I: 29.1±6.1 kg/m²; GOLD II: 28.1±3.3 kg/m²; GOLD III: 26.9±4.8 kg/m²; GOLD IV: 25.5±4.6 kg/m². During follow-up period 47.1% of patients had at least one exacerbation. Patients with weight reduction had a higher prevalence of exacerbations (p=0.068). A reduced initial BMI (< 21.0 kg/m²) was not a risk factor for acute exacerbation (p=0.880).
Conclusions
Although exacerbations were more prevalent in patients who had a lower initial BMI or weight loss, we could not demonstate that these parameters were risk factors for COPD exacerbations.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
I. Gonçalves, S. Xará, L. Matos, R. Lima, M. Guimarães, N. Taveira (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal). Exacerbations in COPD patients – Are they related to BMI or weight loss?. Eur Respir J 2010; 36: Suppl. 54, 1324

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