Brown Adipose Tissue Activity and Energy Metabolism in Cachexia

Brown Adipose Tissue Activity and Energy Metabolism in Cachexia Induced by Cancer or Chronic Disease

To study BAT activity and energy metabolism in patients with cachexia induced by cancer or chronic disease.

This is a prospective, cross-sectional study to determine BAT activity in cachectic patients with pancreatic or non-small cell lung cancer, and in cachectic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and compare results with healthy individuals and non-cachectic COPD patients, matched for age and BMI.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pancreatic cancer patients, or NSCLC cancer patients, or COPD patients
• The diagnostic criterion for cachexia is unintentional weight loss more than 5% over the past 6 months or more than 2% in individuals with a body-mass index < 20 kg/m2 and muscle wasting assessed by DXA;
• Age ≥ 30 years;
• Gender: male and female;
• Caucasians.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus;
• Patients with severe clotting disorder;
• Patients with an active second malignancy;
• Psychological unstable persons presumed unfit to perform the measurements, including claustrophobia;
• Persons unable to lie or sit still for 1-2 hours;
• Oxygen therapy;
• Pregnant subjects;Subjects unable to undergo MRI (e.g. pacemaker; neurostimulator; implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or leads; Foley bladder catheter; medication pump; cochlear or hearing implant; tattoos or other items that cannot be removed and include metal parts (for instance from operations in the past); metal splinter in the eye; vascular clips; denture, which contains magnets);
• Subjects that received high doses of radiotherapeutic radiation of the neck and/or upper chest in their medical history;
• Persons that received cervical or thoracic sympathectomy or have a nerve dysfunction which is likely to influence sympathetic nerves;
• The use of medication that influences the sympathetic nerve system: ß-blockers, α-blockers, central anti-hypertensives, certain anti-depression drugs (MAO inhibitors, tricyclic anti-depressives), reserpine, cocaine, calciumblockers, labetalol, and certain tranquillizers (fenothiazines).