Body composition in heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Introduction: Heart Failure (HF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients have an endothelium function imbalance. Cachexia and phase angle are associated with a worse prognosis in this patients and there exists few body composition evidence. Objectives: To evaluate body composition in subjects with HF and COPD compared with COPD subjects. Methods: A Cross – sectional study, 77 subjects older than 18 years olds, with confirmed HF and / or COPD diagnosis, and those who attend to outpatient visits were included. Asthma subjects were excluded. Body composition were assessed by BIVA, endothelial function by photopletysmography. Results: Were randomized 77 patients, mean age 71.2 ± 11.57 years, 69.43% with COPD and 30.57% HF and COPD. Subjects with HF and COPD had higher prevalence of diabetes (21.6 vs 9.5, p= 0.07), pulmonary hypertension ( 29.7 vs 9.5, p= 0.005), obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (35.1 vs 10.7, p= 0.001) compared to subjects with COPD alone. There were not significative difference in other variables. In body composition the prevalence of cachexia were 57.1% in both groups, 20.8% obesity and normal composition 22.1%. Subjects with HF and COPD had a lower phase angle (4.15 ± 1.2 vs 4.73 ± 0.89, p= 0.05) and higher endothelial dysfunction (0.361± 0.086 vs 0.325 ± 0.064, p= 0.035) than COPD subjects. Respect to fluid body distribution subjects with HF and COPD reported low total body water (46 ± 8.23 vs 51.06 ± 8.64, p=0.019) and higher extracellular water (3.12 vs 3.03, p= 0.006) compared to COPD subjects. Conclusions: The body composition with subjects with HF and COPD showed a high deterioration that can lead to a worse condition.