Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and alterations of body composition.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

This manuscript reviews evidence collected during COVID-19 pandemic and provides information on the impact of body composition on severity and outcomes of the disease, analysing methods used for body composition assessment. Malnutrition-screening tools will also be discussed to screen and diagnose the patients at higher risk of COVID-19 severity and related worse outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS:

COVID-19 can occur in a wide range of presentation, from asymptomatic to severe forms. Among the major risk factors for worse severity, overnutrition, undernutrition and body composition play a role in the ability to respond to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Excess fat accumulation (i.e. obesity) or lean mass loss and functionality (i.e. sarcopenia) or a combination of both (i.e. sarcopenic obesity) can affect whole-body functioning. These body composition alterations in the short-term can influence susceptibility and immunological responses to the virus, inflammatory reaction, metabolic and respiratory distress, while in the long-term can modulate disease outcomes, namely length of stay, time required for recovery, risk of ICU-acquired weakness and long-term disabilities, and potentially increase the risk of death.

SUMMARY:

Individuals with malnutrition, sarcopenia, obesity, sarcopenic obesity and older adults with abnormal body composition or malnutrition risk may require tailored medical nutrition therapy to improve short and long-term COVID-19 outcomes.

• Authors: Edda Cava, Salvatore Carbone
• Journal: Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care (Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care) Vol. 24 Issue 3 Pg. 229-235 (05 01 2021) ISSN: 1473-6519 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33587365 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Body Composition
• COVID-19 (complications, physiopathology, virology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Malnutrition (physiopathology, virology)
• Middle Aged
• Nutrition Therapy
• Nutritional Status
• Obesity (physiopathology, virology)
• Overnutrition (physiopathology, virology)
• SARS-CoV-2
• Sarcopenia (physiopathology, virology)
• Severity of Illness Index