Condition Driven: Pulmonary Disease
Abbott Nutrition knows that recovery from illness and improving the strength of your patients are important. People with pulmonary disease, such as COPD, are at an increased risk for disease-related malnutrition and loss of lean body mass.1
The Need for Proper Nutrition for People with Pulmonary Disease
Approximately 12.1 million adults in the United States were estimated to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2011. COPD is a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. Tobacco smoking is the primary risk factor for the development of COPD.2
Disease related malnutrition is prevalent among people with COPD, with up to 60% of hospitalized patients with COPD3 and nearly 23% of COPD outpatients suffer from disease related malnutrition, which can speed loss of lean body mass. 4 Research has shown that as severity of COPD increases, nutritional status declines.5,6
Malnutrition adversely affects lung structure and function, respiratory muscle mass and function in people with COPD and is associated with negative patient outcomes.1,3,7 Between 25% and 40% of people with COPD experience involuntary weight loss: 25% of people with moderate to severe COPD and 35% of people with extremely severe disease show a loss of muscle mass.1,8,9
Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Your Patients with Pulmonary Disease
Nutrition intervention has been shown to improve quality of life, increase body weight and muscle strength, reduce the risk of hospitalization and shorten length of stay, maintain, and improve muscle strength and decrease the risk of infections and complications.1,10,11 A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 published studies showed that nutritional interventions that included oral nutritional supplements improved overall nutrient intake, body weight, and handgrip strength in people with COPD. 10 Two additional systematic reviews and meta-analyses that included studies of oral nutritional supplements demonstrated that nutritional support improves outcomes in people with COPD. 11,12
Professional Tools & Resources
Protein intake above the recommended dietary allowance is shown to improve muscle protein synthesis in aging adults
New research shows that aging adults require more protein, due in part to a decline in the muscle's ability to synthesize protein efficiently. In addition, higher protein intakes are needed to offset catabolic conditions associated with chronic diseases that commonly occur with aging.
Malnutrition Increases Days of Hospitalization and Risk for Readmission in Patients with COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a serious condition that leads to the deterioration in quality of life. Researchers identified malnutrition as a leading cause of readmissions, emphasizing early detection and oral nutritional supplementation to improve patient outcomes.
The Impact of Oral Nutritional Supplementation in Medicare Patients with COPD
A 2014 retrospective health economic outcome study published in CHEST showed hospitalized patients with COPD receiving oral nutritional supplements (ONS) were associated with decreased LOS, reduction in hospitalization cost and decrease in the probability of 30-day readmission.
Impact of Oral Nutritional Supplementation (ONS) on Hospital Outcomes
A retrospective health economic study published in 2013 showed that patients ordered oral nutritional supplements had a shorter LOS, decreased episode cost and decline in the probability of 30-day readmissions.