Body cell mass and plasma fatty acid pattern remain abnormal in well-nourished patients with quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

• Published in: Aktuelle Ernährungsmedizin
• Main Authors: Hengstermann, S, Valentini, L, Büning, C, Schaper, L, Maritschnegg, M, Pirlich, M, Schütz, T, Kreymann, G, Bühner, S, Winklhofer-Roob, BM, Lochs, H
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 13.06.2005
• ISSN: 0341-0501; 1438-9916
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-871172

Aim: Few data are available on the nutritional status of patients with quiescent IBD. The aim of this project was to assess nutritional status and body composition in IBD patients in remission and compare results to those of healthy controls. Methods: Nutritional status was evaluated in 59 IBD patients with quiescent IBD and 59 BMI-, age- and sex-matched controls (38 f/21 m; 40[31;49] yrs) using Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), serum albumin and BIA (Nutriguard 2000M). Furthermore, plasma levels of antioxidants (lutein/zeaxanthin, retinol, β-cryptoxanthin, α-and γ-tocopherol, lycopene, α-and all-trans- and cis-β-carotene), fatty acid patterns (C14:0;C15:0;C16:0;C16:1n-7;C18:0;C18:1n-9;C18:1n-7;C18:2n-6,C18:3n-6;C18:3n-3;C18:4n-3;C20:0;C20:3n-6;C20:4n-6;C20:5n-3;C22:0; C22:1n-9;C22:4n-6;C24:0,C22:5n-3;C22:6n-3) of 63 IBD patients in remission (CDAI<150 or CAI<5; 43f/22m; 40[30;49] yrs) and 96 healthy controls (VITAGE project, QLK1-CT-1999–00830) were compared. Results are expressed as median and interquartile range. Results: Eighty-six% of IBD patients were well nourished according to SGA and only 2 patients had serum albumin levels <4.0mg/dl. Median BMI and lean body mass were not different between controls and IBD patients. However, body cell mass and phase angle were significantly decreased in IBD patients (23.2 [20.6;29.1] kg/m 2 ; 5.71 [5.35;6.32]°) compared to controls (26.3 [22.9;31.9] kg/m 2 ; 6.99 [6.59;7.30]°, P =0.001). Plasma antioxidant concentrations were comparable to healthy controls except for decreases in lutein/zeaxanthin (0.48 [0.35;0.58] vs. 0.37 [0.21;0.53] µmol/l; P =0.004) and cis-β-carotene (0.016 [0.001;0.032] vs. 0.006 [0.000;0.042] µmol/l; P =0.024) in CD and increases in α-carotene in UC (0.17 [0.11;0.22] vs. 0.08 [0.05;0.13] µmol/l, P =0.002). Plasma total fatty acids were normal, but saturated fatty acids were increased (3928 [3404;4349] vs. 3513 [2976;4130] µmol/l, P =0.017). Plasma ω-6-fatty acids were decreased in both CD and UC (3520 [3086;3984] vs. 4000 [3509;4559] µmol/l, P <0.001), while ω-3 plasma fatty acids were decreased in CD only (262 [180;315] vs. 296 [238;353] µmol/l, P =0.012). Conclusion: IBD patients in remission show clear changes in nutritional parameters despite apparently normal overall nutritional status.