title: Body composition and resting energy expenditure in elderly male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our study investigates nutritional status, resting energy expenditure (REE) and physical performance in elderly patients with stable COPD to identify any early conditions of hypermetabolism, malnutrition and sarcopenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six males (40 stable COPD and 46 healthy subjects) over 65 years old were studied. All subjects underwent spirometry, blood gas analysis and a 6-min walking test (6MWT). Fat-free mass (FFM) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). REE was measured by indirect calorimetry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  COPD patients had a lower FFM both expressed in kilograms and after correction for height squared. The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher for COPD subjects (38% vs 31%). REE, both in absolute values and adjusted for FFM was significantly higher in COPD patients. Hypermetabolism was found in 60% of COPD cases and 13.7% (P<0.01) of healthy subjects. No relationship was found in COPD patients between the measured/predicted REE ratio (REE(m)/REE(p)) and FEV1. In the hypermetabolic COPD subgroup, the REE(m)/REE(p) ratio correlated with 6MWT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly patients with stable COPD develop an increased REE. This hypermetabolism seems to be independent of the severity of the pulmonary obstruction and to influence the patient's physical performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Division of Geriatrics, University of Padua, Padua Italy. giuseppe.sergi@unipd.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coin
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vianello
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manzan
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peruzza
authors.forename: Emine Meral
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Inelmen
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Busetto
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mulone
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Enzi
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin