Comorbidities in end-stage lung disease

Perfil nutricional de pacientes candidatos ao transplante de pulmão

OBJETIVO: Verificar o perfil nutricional dos pacientes candidatos ao transplante de pulmão. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, retrospectivo com pacientes candidatos ao transplante de pulmão em um hospital público da cidade de São Paulo. O gênero, a idade e a doença pulmonar de base dos participantes foram compilados. Para a avaliação do perfil nutricional dos pacientes, o índice de massa corporal (IMC), a circunferência muscular do braço (CMB), a circunferência da cintura (CC) e a prega cutânea tricipital (PCT) foram determinados durante o primeiro atendimento ambulatorial. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 117 pacientes, sendo 69 (59%) do gênero masculino. A média de idade dos participantes foi de 42,5 ± 15,2 anos. A doença de base de maior prevalência foi o enfisema pulmonar, em 29 pacientes (24,8%). O perfil nutricional de 48,3% dos pacientes com enfisema pulmonar, de 55% dos com fibrose cística, 56% dos com bronquiectasias e de 50% dos com outras doenças pulmonares foi considerado normal. A maior parte dos pacientes com fibrose pulmonar (51,7%) foi classificada com excesso de peso. A PCT indicou que os pacientes com fibrose cística apresentaram um elevado risco de depleção (64,7%), seguidos pelos pacientes com bronquiectasias (52,6%). CONCLUSÕES: Os pacientes com fibrose pulmonar foram os que obtiveram maiores valores de IMC, mas com PCT e CMB correspondentes a eutrofia. Pacientes com fibrose cística e bronquiectasias apresentaram maior prevalência de depleção nutricional, baseado na PCT e CMB.

Comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Comorbidities such as cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders are commonly reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but with great variability in reported prevalence. Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for many of these comorbidities as well as for COPD, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the relationship between COPD and these comorbidities. However, recent large epidemiologic studies have confirmed the independent detrimental effects of these comorbidities on patients with COPD. On the other hand, many of these comorbidities are now considered to be part of the commonly prevalent nonpulmonary sequelae of COPD that are relevant not only to the understanding of the real burden of COPD but also to the development of effective management strategies.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: in need of focused and systematic management

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an increasingly recognised, serious lung disease. A recent International Consensus Statement has redefined the term "idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis", restricting its use to the entity previously described as "usual interstitial pneumonia" and reclassifying some of the more benign inerstitial lung diseases formerly included under IPF. There is insufficient quality evidence for the effectiveness of current medical therapies for IPF. Lung transplantation provides a potential surgical therapeutic option for selected individuals with IPF, but referral for transplant needs to be made as early as possible. Multidisciplinary clinics specialising in interstitial lung disease have a potential role in determining which patients may benefit from novel and existing medical therapies and which patients should be referred for lung transplantation.