Modifying the Progress and the Quality of Life of COPD Patients by Nutrition

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic systemic inflammation, extrapulmonary comorbidities, variable/poor appetite, low energy intake, and increased nutritional needs tend to push the energy balance into the catabolism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Sarcopenia, weight loss, low body mass index (BMI), and low fat-free mass (FFM) highlight the need for early complex dietary interventions, oral nutritional supplements, and supplementation with specific nutrients (e.g., vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids). We need to focus on the suppression on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD, which has consequences for the exacerbation rate, quality of life, and survival of patients. Special nutrients may also be needed to compensate for energy and protein deficiencies and improve the physiological processes in patients with malnutrition/cachexia participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. A patient’s exercise tolerance, respiratory function, and quality of life will also improve if the nutritional condition of the patients improve, as it has an additive effect. This requires individualized, early multimodal interventions based on the coordinated efforts of a pulmonologist, a pulmonary rehabilitation specialist, a dietician, and a physiotherapist.

Dr. János Tamás Varga
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.