Small Intestinal Absorption in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Cor Pulmonale

Jens Rikardt Andersen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Cor Pulmonale

Treatments: Diagnostic Test: Absorption test with D-xylose and zink

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03243994

H-15019987

Details and patient eligibility

About

Aim: To investigate whether patients with pulmonary hypertension have reduced absorption capacity compared to COPD patients without cor pulmonale potentially due to venous obstruction in the portal vein system.

The presence of cor pulmonale was determined by echocardiography. The concentration of D-xylose and zinc were measured in peripheral blood one, two and three hours after ingestion and used as markers of absorption. Furthermore, urine was collected for five hours to determine the amount of excreted D-xylose.

Full description

Background: Cor pulmonale is a common complication to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and may result in increased pressure in the inferior caval vein and stasis of the liver. The chronic pulmonary hypertension may lead to stasis in the veins from the small intestine and thereby compromise absorption of nutrients.

Aim: To investigate whether patients with pulmonary hypertension have reduced absorption capacity compared to COPD patients without cor pulmonale.

Methods: Absorption of D-xylose (25 g) and zinc (132 mg), administered as a single dose, was tested in 14 COPD patients, seven with and seven without cor pulmonale. The presence of cor pulmonale was determined by echocardiography. The concentration of D-xylose and zinc were measured in peripheral blood one, two and three hours after ingestion and used as markers of absorption. Furthermore, urine was collected for five hours to determine the amount of excreted D-xylose.

Enrollment: 14 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• A diagnosis of COPD
• Clinically stable = Unchanged medication for COPD for at least 6 months

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to understand Danish
• Other clinically important heart-disease than chronic right heart changes presumably due to lung disease
• Clinically significant gastro-intestinal or kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Treatment with corticosteroids for at least 6 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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14 participants in 2 patient groups

COPD

Experimental group

Description:

Patients with COPD without Cor Pulmonale

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Absorption test with D-xylose and zink

COPD + Cor Pulmonale

Experimental group

Description:

Patients with Cor Pulmonale in addition

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Absorption test with D-xylose and zink