Anabolic Steroids Have a Positive Effect on Body Composition in COPD Patients

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Anabolic Steroids Have a Positive Effect on Body Composition in COPD

Patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 17 - Compared with placebo, a short-

term course of nandrolone decanoate (ND) has a positive effect on

body composition in patients with COPD, according to the results of

a study published in the November issue of Chest.

" Skeletal muscle weakness commonly occurs in patients with COPD, "

Dr. Eva C. Creutzberg, of University Hospital Maastricht, the

Netherlands, and colleagues write. The long-term use of systemic

glucocorticosteroids can also contribute to muscle weakness in these

patients.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Dr.

Creutzberg's group examined the effect of ND treatment on body

composition, respiratory and peripheral muscle function, exercise

performance, health status, and erythropoietic parameters in 63 men

with COPD.

The subjects were assigned to receive a deep IM injection of 50 mg

ND or placebo on days 1, 15, 29, and 43. All of the subjects also

participated in a standardized pulmonary rehabilitation program.

The researchers found that patients who received ND had greater

increases in fat-free mass relative compared with those who received

placebo (mean 1.7 kg versus 0.3 kg, p = 0.015), which was associated

with an increase in intracellular mass.

While both groups experienced similar improvements in muscle

function, exercise capacity, and health status, only ND-treated

patients had increases in erythropoietic parameters and hemoglobin.

Of the 31 patients receiving oral glucocorticosteroids, greater

improvements in maximal inspiratory mouth pressure and peak workload

were also seen in the ND group than in the placebo group after 8

weeks.

Based on these findings, the investigators conclude that " ND has a

role in the treatment of patients with COPD, especially in those

patients treated long-term with low-dose systemic

glucocorticosteroids. "

Chest 2003;124:1733-1742