Unfavourable body composition despite normal body mass index of patients with chronic intestinal failure

Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) patients might appear well-nourished based on their BMI, but recent research by Julia Korzilius, Monique van Asseldonk, Geert Wanten and Heidi Zweers showed something else. The study, conducted by the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology – Dietetics, was published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition on June 8, 2024.

Chronic intestinal failure is a chronic condition in which the small bowel does not function properly, making it unable to absorb enough nutrients and energy from food. Therefore, long-term parenteral feeding is necessary. CIF patients are likely to develop various forms of malnutrition, so understanding their body composition is crucial for optimising their nutrition management and overall care.

Using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), a method for assessing body composition, the research team analysed data from 147 adult CIF patients collected in routine care. While the mean BMI of CIF patients was a seemingly normal 22.1 kg/m², BIA results showed that 63% had a low fat-free mass index, indicating reduced muscle mass, and 48% had a high body fat percentage.

These results suggest that a normal BMI can be misleading in CIF patients, hiding an underlying unfavourable body composition characterised by low muscle mass and excessive body fat. These findings directly affect clinical practice: the importance of an in‐depth nutrition assessment, including BIA measurements, emerges.

Building on these findings, the department plans to explore the effect of targeted exercise interventions on muscle mass and overall body composition in CIF patients. Furthermore, they aim to investigate how these exercise intervention can be integrated into standard care practices.

Read the article here: Body composition of adults with chronic intestinal failure receiving home parenteral nutrition: A descriptive cohort study - Korzilius - Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition - Wiley Online Library

Korzilius JW, van Asseldonk MJMD, Wanten GJA, Zweers-van Essen HEE. Body composition of adults with chronic intestinal failure receiving home parenteral nutrition: A descriptive cohort study. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2024 Jun 8. doi: 10.1002/jpen.2658. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38850079.