Abstract
Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be the third cause of death in the world by 2030. Weight loss and malnutrition in COPD is associated with a poor prognosis. Aim: To determine the correlation between low body mass index (BMI), functional parameters in COPD and exacerbation. Methods: Retrospective study including 113 patients with COPD who have a regular follow-up in the Pulmonology Department of La Rabta Hospital in Tunis. These patients were divided into two groups: G1: 23 underweight patients with a BMI ≤18, 5 and G2: 90 normal or overweight patients with a BMI>18,5. Results: Mean age was 66 years in both groups (p=0,79). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups concerning the comorbidities. Low BMI was associated to a lower FEV1 (p=0.004), a lower FEV1/FVC (p Conclusion: Weight loss and malnutrition are serious conditions that should be taken into consideration in the management of COPD patients. An active nutritional supplementation can lead to weight gain and can improve the respiratory function and the exercise performance.
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