Advanced COPD tied to reduced BMI, hand grip strength, respiratory function

Advanced stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with significantly lower body mass index (BMI), fat-free body mass, hand grip strength, and respiratory and skeletal muscle functions, reports a recent study.

COPD patients aged ≥40 years who were followed for at least 1 year were included in this prospective observational study, which sought to assess nutritional statuses of COPD patients in four categories of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2015 classification, as well as evaluate associations of BMI and fat-free mass index with respiratory and skeletal muscle strengths.

The authors recorded the patients’ medical histories, smoking status, and anthropometric, spirometry, and hand grip strength measurements.

A total of 463 COPD patients were included and classified according to GOLD as follows: group A (n=119), group B (n=58), group C (n=117), and group D (n=169). Patients in group D were older than those in other groups (p=0.001). No between-group difference was found in terms of sex (p=0.163).

Group D had significantly reduced fat-free body mass compared with group A (p=0.014). BMI was also lower in groups C and D than in other groups (p=0.001). In addition, a significant decreasing trend in spirometry and hand grip strength was observed toward group D (p<0.001 for both).

“Nutritional status should be routinely monitored and considered an important indicator in COPD,” the authors said.