Energy expenditure in underweight chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients before and during a physiotherapy programme.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how total daily energy expenditure (TEE) changes when underweight patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) enters a physiotherapy programme.


METHODS
Prospective intervention study.


METHODS
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with severe COPD and BMI<21 kg/m(2) were recruited consecutively at the outpatient COPD unit at the Department of Respiratory Medicine. Fourteen patients completed the whole study.


METHODS
TEE was assessed by the doubly labelled water method in a 2-week control period and during 2 weeks of physiotherapy. Energy intake was assessed using 7-day dietary record during control and physiotherapy period.


RESULTS
Mean TEE during physiotherapy period was 500 kJ (6%) lower than during control period but the difference was not statistically significant. Ten of the 14 patients had lower and four had higher TEE. Mean energy intake during the physiotherapy period did not change from the control period (7700 vs 7600 kJ/day).


CONCLUSIONS
Since underweight patients with COPD may show variable TEE during physiotherapy compared to a control period, an assessment of individual energy requirements is recommended.
Slinde
F
F
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. frode.slinde@nutrition.gu.se
Kvarnhult
K
K
Grönberg
A M
AM
Nordenson
A
A
Larsson
S
S
Hulthén
L
L
D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013851:Thinness / Q000378:metabolism