B de Muralt

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often develop weight loss, which is associated with increased mortality. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment has been proposed to improve nitrogen balance and to increase muscle strength in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of rhGH administration on the nutritional status, resting metabolism, muscle strength, exercise tolerance, dyspnea, and subjective well-being of underweight patients with stable COPD. Sixteen patients attending a pulmonary rehabilitation program (age: 66 +/- 9 yr; weight: 77 +/- 7% of ideal body weight; FEV1: 39 +/- 13% of predicted) were randomly treated daily with either 0.15 IU/kg rhGH or placebo during 3 wk in a double-blind fashion. Measurements were made at the beginning (DO) and at the end (D21) of treatment and 2 mo later (D81). Body weight was similar in the two groups during the study, but lean body mass was significantly higher in the rhGH group at D21 (p < 0.01) and D81 (p < 0.05). The increase in lean body mass was 2.3 +/- 1.6 kg in the rhGH group and 1.1 +/- 0.9 kg in the control group at D21 and 1.9 +/- 1.6 kg in the rhGH group and 0.7 +/- 2.1 kg in the control group at D81. At D21, the resting energy expenditure was increased in the rhGH group (107.8% of DO, p < 0.001 compared with the control group). At D21 and D81, the changes in maximal respiratory pressures, handgrip strength, maximal exercise capacity, and subjective well-being were similar in the two groups. At D21, the 6-min walking distance decreased in the rhGH group (-13 +/- 31%) and increased in the control group (+10 +/- 14%; p < 0.01). We conclude that the daily administration of 0.15 IU/kg rhGH during 3 wk increases lean body mass but does not improve muscle strength or exercise tolerance in underweight patients with COPD.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently develop nocturnal oxygen desturation because of alveolar hypoventilation, worsening of ventilation-perfusion mismatch, and sometimes obstructive sleep apnoeas. In contrast, little is known about their oxygen status during the various activities of daily life. The aim of this study was to compare the oxygen saturation profile during day and night, and to assess the influence of different daily activities in COPD. During a rehabilitation programme, we studied 30 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD (median forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 37% of predicted), without marked hypoxaemia (median arterial oxygen tension (Pa,O2) 9.1 kPa). Arterial oxygen saturation (Sa,O2) was assessed by pulse oximetry during night (8 h) and day (10.5 h). The mean and minimal Sa,O2 were calculated, and desaturations were defined as Sa,O2 falls > 4%.h-1. Daily activities were identified by the patients as resting, eating, washing, nebulization therapy and walking. Mean Sa,O2 was lower during the night (88%) than during the day (89%). In contrast, minimal Sa,O2 was lower during the day (69%) than during the night (72%), and the number of desaturations was higher during the day (8.6 desaturations.h-1) than during the night (6.8 desaturations.h-1). Mean Sa,O2 was 88% during walking, which was lower than during resting (90%), nebulization (90%), and meals (89%). The number of desaturations was higher during walking (13.1 desaturations.h-1), washing (12.6 desaturations.h-1), and eating (9.2 desaturations.h-1) than during resting (5.3 desaturations.h-1). We conclude that daily activities, such as walking, washing and eating, are associated with transient oxygen desaturation in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, even without marked resting hypoxaemia.

In subjects with normal lung mechanics, inspiratory muscle strength can be reliably and easily assessed by the sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP), which is the pressure measured in an occluded nostril during a maximal sniff performed through the contralateral nostril. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the SNIP in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where pressure transmission from alveoli to upper airways is likely to be dampened. Twenty eight patients with COPD were studied (mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) = 36% of predicted). The SNIP and the sniff oesophageal pressure (sniff Poes) were measured simultaneously during maximal sniffs, and were compared to the maximal inspiratory pressure obtained against an occlusion (MIP). All measurements were performed from functional residual capacity in the sitting position. The ratio SNIP/sniff Poes was 0.80, and did not correlate with the degree of airflow limitation. The ratio MIP/sniff Poes was 0.87, and the ratio SNIP/MIP was 0.97. Inspiratory muscle weakness, as defined by a low sniff Poes, was present in 17 of the 28 patients. A false diagnosis of weakness was made in eight patients when MIP was considered alone, in four when SNIP was considered alone, and in only three patients when MIP and SNIP were combined. We conclude that both the sniff nasal inspiratory pressure and the maximal inspiratory pressure moderately underestimate sniff oesophageal pressure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although suboptimal in this condition, the sniff nasal inspiratory pressure appears useful to complement the maximal inspiratory pressure for assessing inspiratory muscle strength in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.