Nutritional and pulmonary function assessment in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease

This investigation was undertaken to determine the prevalence and degree of malnutrition among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to determine if a relationship exists between nutritional assessment parameters and pulmonary function. Thirty-seven patients admitted for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to a respiratory care unit of a Veterans Administration facility were studied. Nutritional status was evaluated using anthropometric measurements, laboratory data and immunologic assay. Deficits in anthropometric measurements were frequent and severe in this group of patients. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that patients with a forced vital capacity <30% of predicted value had significantly reduced lean body mass as measured by the mid-arm muscle circumference (p<0.05). Investigation of the nutritional status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using controlled nutrition intervention trials may elucidate the relationship of nutritional state to pulmonary function in this group of patients.