Excessive weight--muscle depletion paradox and cardiovascular risk factors in outpatients with inflammatory bowel disease

• Published in: Arquivos de gastroenterologia Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 37 - 45
• Main Authors: Andrade, Maria Izabel Siqueira de, Maio, Regiane, Dourado, Keila Fernandes, Macêdo, Patrícia Fortes Cavalcanti de, Barreto Neto, Augusto César
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos e Pesquisas de Gastroenterologia e Outras Especialidades - IBEPEGE 01-03-2015; Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos e Pesquisas de Gastroenterologia (IBEPEGE)
• Subjects: Adult; Anthropometry; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Desnutrição; Doenças cardiovasculares; Doenças inflamatórias intestinais; Fatores de risco; Female; GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - complications; Male; Middle Aged; Nutritional Status; Obesity, Abdominal - complications; Outpatients; Overweight - complications; Risk Factors; Sarcopenia - etiology; Sobrepeso; Socioeconomic Factors; Inflammatory bowel disease; Doenças cardiovasculares; Cardiovascular disease; Sobrepeso; Fatores de risco; Desnutrição; Malnutrition; Doenças inflamatórias intestinais; Risk factors; Overweight
• ISSN: 0004-2803; 1678-4219; 1678-4219; 0004-2803
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-28032015000100009

Evidence suggests a nutritional transition process in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Obesity, which was once an uncommon occurrence in such patients, has grown in this population at the same prevalence rate as that found in the general population, bringing with it an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Objective The aim of the present study was to determine the nutritional status and occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
A case-series cross-sectional study was conducted involving male and female adult outpatients with inflammatory bowel disease. Data were collected on demographic, socioeconomic, clinical and anthropometric variables as well as the following cardiovascular risk factors: sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, abdominal obesity, medications in use, comorbidities, alcohol intake and smoking habits. The significance level for all statistical tests was set to 5% (P< 0.05).
The sample comprised 80 patients with inflammatory bowel disease, 56 of whom (70.0%) had ulcerative colitis and 24 of whom (30.0%) had Crohn's disease. Mean age was 40.3±11 years and the female genre accounted for 66.2% of the sample. High frequencies of excess weight (48.8%) and abdominal obesity (52.5%) were identified based on the body mass index and waist circumference, respectively, in both groups, especially among those with ulcerative colitis. Muscle depletion was found in 52.5% of the sample based on arm muscle circumference, with greater depletion among patients with Crohn's disease (P=0.008). The most frequent risk factors for cardiovascular disease were a sedentary lifestyle (83.8%), abdominal obesity (52.5%) and excess weight (48.8%).
The results of the complete anthropometric evaluation draw one's attention to a nutritional paradox, with high frequencies of both - muscle depletion, as well as excess weight and abdominal obesity.