Study of body composition and systemic effects in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease  is  a common preventable and treatable disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is usually progressive. Airflow obstruction in main feature of COPD . Body mass is divided into two compartments, fat mass and fat free mass. Fat free mass mainly contain metabolically active organs particularly skeletal muscle mass.  Aim of study was to study spirometry in COPD patients & assess disease severity by GOLD criteria and to study the parameters of body composition in COPD patients The present study was a cross sectional study carried out in 100 stable male COPD patients with the aim of evaluating body composition and systemic effects in different stages (I-IV] of the disease according to GOLD criteria. Anthropometric parameters Weight  , Standing height  ,Waist circumference  , Hip circumference  , Body mass index (BMI]  were recorded . Parameters of spirometry (FEV1], (FVC] , FEV1/FVC were included . Body composition parameters were Body Mass Index (BMI], Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI] , Fat Mass Index (FMI]. In our study most of the COPD patients were in severe stage which mainly included elderly people of >60 years of age. Both BMI and FFMI was significantly decreasing  as the severity of disease increased according to GOLD criteria. FMI decreased with higher COPD stages. Six-minute walking distance test  was significantly decreasing  as the disease severity increases. In patients of COPD there is loss of fat free mass  thereby decreasing exercise capacity. High risked individuals must be regularly screened with spirometry for mild COPD so that necessary preventive measures can delay the onset of progression of disease. 

Key words : COPD , Spirometry ,  Fat Mass Index (FMI], Fat Free Mass Index