title: Anthropometric variables and physical activity as predictors of cardiac cachexia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored the frequency of cardiac cachexia in Mexican patients, the role of anthropometric variables as predictors of its development and its association with food intake and physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy three patients with systolic heart failure were included in the study. Cardiac cachexia was defined as weight loss of >6.0% in 6 months. Anthropometric data, physical activity and dietary intake were evaluated by a 3-day questionnaire at the beginning of the study and 6 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 months of follow up, 14 (19%) patients developed cachexia with a mean weight loss of 12.1+/-3.4%. Significant decrease in the anthropometric variables were observed in patients which developed cachexia except in the waist to hip ratio, which increased in these patients due to bigger diminish of hip circumference than in the waist one. The subjects which developed cachexia had significant less physical activity after 6 months (-6.9%) in comparison with the non cachexic group. Reported energy intake did no differ among groups. Patients with cardiac cachexia showed greater prevalence of obesity and overweight, a high body fat percentage and a low arm circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac cachexia development was not related with low energy intake or increase in the total energy expenditure (explained by the physical activity). The only variable related to cachexia development was lower physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Cardiology Department, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "Salvador Zubirán", Mexico. cam11225@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castillo-Martínez
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orea-Tejeda
authors.forename: Marilú Terrones
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: Eloisa Colín
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Verónica Rebollar
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Enrique Asensio
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lafuente
authors.forename: Jorge Oseguera
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Moguel
authors.forename: Joel Dorantes
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002100:Cachexia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology