Abstract
Intoduction: nutritional status has to be considered in the course of COPD. In fact, both obesity and malnutrition influences quality of life of patients with COPD and has a prognostic value.
Aim: evaluate the impact of patient nutritional status on acute exacerbation (AE) of COPD.
Patients and method: retrospective study including patients hospitalized for AE of COPD between 2009 and 2010 in our department. Nutritional status was evaluated by body mass index (BMI). Patients were divided into four groups regarding their BMI (G1: BMI<18; G2: 18,5≤BMI≤24,9; G3: 25≤IMC≤29,9; G4: IMC≥3O). Number of AE/year, duration of hospitalization and use of systemic corticosteroids were also determined.
Results: fifty patients were enrolled with a mean age of 64 years. Mean value of weight and BMI was respectively 66,93kg and 23,63kg /m2. 50 % of patients had COPD stage III and 28 % had COPD stage IV. Considering all patients, mean value of AE/year was 1.5, mean duration of hospitalization in AE was 15,49 days and use of systemic corticosteroids was necessary in 66 % of cases. Compared to patients with normal BMI (G2), those with malnutrition (G1) had more severe AE: longer duration of hospitalization (35,48days vs14,45days) and frequent use of corticoids (83, 33% vs 64,28%). Patients suffering from obesity had similar number of AE/year as patients from G2, but the use of corticosteroids was more frequent (85,71% vs 64,28%).
Conclusion: we emphasize on the evaluation of nutritional status in COPD as a major parameter to consider in the management of this disease.
- © 2012 ERS