Abdominal fat mass contributes to the systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
BACK GROUND & AIMS: Altered body composition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often reflected by muscle wasting, while only few studies have focused on abdominal fat mass. The contribution of abdominal fat mass to the systemic inflammation often present in COPD has not been examined yet. The aim of the present study was to investigate if abdominal fat mass contributes to the systemic inflammation in patients with moderate to severe COPD.


METHODS
Muscle wasting (fat free mass index <17.1 kg/m(2) for men and 14.6 kg/m(2) for women) and abdominal fat mass (android/gynoid %fat mass >1.0 for men and >0.8 for women) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 295 patients with moderate to severe COPD (175 men). Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration was analysed by high sensitive (HS)-ELISA.


RESULTS
Diffusion capacity was higher in patients with abdominal obesity. In addition, fat mass index was a significant determinant for plasma CRP concentration. In a subgroup of patients with CRP<5 mg/l (n=168), CRP was positively associated with abdominal fat mass. In addition, a significant proportion of abdominal obese patients had muscle wasting, and CRP levels were higher in these patients compared to the patients without abdominal obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal fat mass contributes to the systemic inflammation in COPD. This study provides further evidence for systemic phenotyping of patients with COPD incorporating besides markers of muscle mass also markers of abdominal obesity.
Rutten
Erica P A
EP
Program Development Center, Center of expertise for chronic organ failure (Ciro), Horn, The Netherlands. ericarutten@ciro-horn.nl
Breyer
Marie K
MK
Spruit
Martijn A
MA
Hofstra
Trineke
T
van Melick
Paula P M J
PP
Schols
Annemie M W J
AM
Wouters
Emiel F M
EF
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology*; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000150:complications*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D002097:C-Reactive Protein