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Oxandrolone Aids Weight Restoration in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Patients who experience weight loss associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be helped to restore weight with the anabolic agent oxandrolone, say United States researchers.

Since oxandrolone is well tolerated in such patients, this effective adjunct should be considered in their comprehensive management, suggest Dr S.S.Yeh and colleagues at the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York.

While negative outcomes are associated with weight loss common in COPD, improved outcomes are associated with weight gain which was found to be primarily lean body mass.

In this prospective open-label clinical trial, COPD patients in 25 community based US pulmonary practices were evaluated on the effects of oral oxandrolone, 10 mg b.i.d.

Moderate-to-severe COPD in a primary pulmonary diagnosis was defined by FEV₁ of less than 50 percent of predicted and FEV₁/FVC ratio less than 0.7, as well as significant involuntary weight loss (weight </= 90 percent ideal body weight).

Measurements were made of body weight, spirometry, six minute walking distance and body composition by bioelectric impedance analysis.

At two months, data was shown on 82 patients and at four months, on 55.

Eighty-eight percent of subjects at month two had gained a mean 6.0 lb while 12 percent lost a mean of 1.7 lb. Eighty-four percent at month four gained a mean of 6.0 lb. while 16 percent lost a mean of 1.8 lbs.

Bioelectric impedance analysis at month four found the weight to be primarily lean tissue showing a mean increase in body cell mass of 3 ± 2.6 lb, with a mean increase in fat of 1.2 ± 4.6 lb.
Chest 2002, 122(2):421-8 "Reversal of COPD-Associated Weight Loss Using the Anabolic Agent Oxandrolone(*)."

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