title: Metabolic features of inflammatory bowel disease in a remission phase of the disease activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the anthropometric and metabolic characteristics of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), comparing both groups with healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients with biopsy-proven inflammatory bowel disease (18 CD; 16 UC) in clinical remission (SCDAI < 3 and Powell-Tuck index < 4) not receiving steroid therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients had a clinical examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood indicators of inflammation and nutritional status. Body composition was assessed by both anthropometry and bioimpedance and metabolic variables were measured by indirect calorimetry over a 60-90 min period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD had a lower body weight than both controls (58.1 kg, range 41.5-71.0 vs. 66.4 kg, range 57.0-76.0; P < 0.001) and UC) 58.1 kg, range 41.5-71.0 vs. 69.6 kg, range 50.5-94.0; (P < 0.001). Fat-free mass (FFM) did not differ between the groups, whilst fat mass was significantly lower in CD than in UC (P < 0.05) and controls (P < 0.001). Normalizing the basal metabolic rate by FFM, a higher value was found in CD compared with UC (143 kJ kg-1) d-(-1), range 97.5-179 vs. 133 kJ kg-1 d-1, range 123-148; P < 0.05) and control subject 143 kj kg-1 d-1, range 97.5-179 vs. 134 kj kg-1 d-1, range 122-162; P < 0.05). The nonprotein respiratory quotient was significantly lower in CD compared to UC 0.80, range 0.73-0.84 vs. 0.84, range 0.79-0.91; P < 0.01) and controls (0.80, range 0.73-0.84 vs. 0.83, range 0.81-0.87; P < 0.001), with a consequently higher lipid oxidation rate in CD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD subjects showed a decreased fat mass and enhanced utilization of lipids compared with UC and controls. These data could be explained by the larger intestinal involvement and considered as a contribution to lipid tissue wasting in CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capristo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mingrone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Addolorato
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction