New HEAL Study: Exercise Capacity and Its Relationship with Body Composition and Nutrition Status in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease

• Post by: Rebecca Clarke
• 11:45AM Jun 02, 2021
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A team of researchers led by Sylvia Rinaldi with Jason Gilliland, Colleen O’Connor, Jamie A. Seabrook, Marco Mura, and Janet Madill published a study entitled: “Exercise Capacity and Its Relationship with Body Composition and Nutrition Status in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease.”

Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are known to have diminished exercise ability. This study explored the relationship between nutrition status and body composition parameters with exercise capacity in ILD patients. A second aim focused on assessing the appropriateness of surrogate markers of nutrition status in ILD patients.

Disease severity was determined by the percentage of predicted forced vital capacity. Exercise capacity was determined using 6-minute walk distance. Nutrition status was assessed using the subjective global assessment (SGA), standardized phase angle (SPhA), and impedance ratio z-score (z-IR). Bioelectrical impedance analysis estimated body composition parameters.

45 of 79 participants (57%) were malnourished according to the SGA. FFM index z-score (z-FFMI) (r = 0.42, P = .02) and SGA (r = 0.49, P < .01) were significant predictors of exercise capacity independent of disease severity. Age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.01–1.25; P = .04), low body mass index (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57–0.92; P = .01), z-FFMI (OR = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.17–0.68; P < .01), and body fat mass index z-score (OR = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17–0.91; P = .03) were significantly associated with severe malnutrition. There was no significant difference in SPhA across SGA groups; however, a higher z-IR (poorer cell health) significantly increased the odds of severe malnutrition (OR = 2.75; 95% CI, 1.27–6.03; P = .02).

Results indicate that in ILD patients, malnutrition and loss of FFM negatively impact the ability to perform activities of daily living.

Citation: Sylvia Rinaldi, Jason Gilliland, Colleen O’Connor, Jamie A. Seabrook, Marco Mura, and Janet Madill (2021). “Exercise Capacity and Its Relationship with Body Composition and Nutrition Status in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease.” ASPEN Journal, 1-8; ttps://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.10651