Estado nutricional y funcional en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructive crónica: Efectos de la suplementación nutricional oral (estudio OFOS)

Introduction: Weight loss and malnutrition are associated with a worse prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: The main objective of the OFOS study was to assess the effcacy and tolerability of a new nutritional oral formula in adults with COPD with weight loss or malnutrition. Methods: Prospective, single-centre, randomized, open-label and controlled trial conducted in Lima (Peru). A total of 99 outpatients of both sexes were included (control [GC]: 49; supplement [GS]: 50), aged from 18 to 80 years old, who had been diagnosed with COPD and that suffered from malnutrition or involuntary weight loss during the last months. Nutritional, functional and quality of life (QoL) variables were evaluated during a three-month intervention. Results: At three months, there was an increase of body mass index (BMI) and fat free mass index (FFMI) signifcantly higher in the GS: IMC 5.3% vs 2.9%, p < 0.001; FFMI 3.2% vs 1.9%, p = 0.019. The GS showed a reduction of cases with BMI < 21 kg/m² equivalent to 69% vs 33% in the GC (p = 0.004). Functional variables showed a favourable improvement trend in GS, being signifcant for the hand-grip test in the subgroup of patients with low FFMI (p = 0.001). All QoL studied variables signifcantly improved in both groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Oral supplementation with a complete, polymeric and normocaloric new nutritional formula for three months was well tolerated and effective for the nutritional support of patients diagnosed with COPD with weight loss or malnutrition.