Evaluate the Effect of Dietary Supplement Combined Exercise Among Patients With Sarcopenia Comorbid With Lung Disease

The design of clinical trial

This study is a prospective, multi-center, and non-invasive cohort study. All participants are diagnosed with COPD or ILD with Sarcopenia or severe Sarcopenia. The intervention consisted of providing nutritional supplements and supervised exercise for 12 weeks. After the intervention (the 12th week), the trial commissioned company provides nutritional supplements with a market price of about NT$4,000 per month for three months free to participants who are willing to continue taking the products. Those participants will be tracked for one year. The primary purpose of the study is to investigate improvement of physical performance, body composition and lung function before and after the intervention. The secondary purpose of the study is to compare the effect of the same intervention on Sarcopenia and different severity of Sarcopenia regarding the improvement of physical performance, body composition and lung function. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis is conducted to compare those who achieve the exercise requirement with those who do not concerning their physical performance, body composition and lung function.

Trail procedures

• Baseline demographic characteristic, health behavior and exercise habits are collected by questionnaires.
• The main disease diagnosis, medication, clinical assessment questionnaire or biochemical examination and radiological examination results are collected.
• According to the 2019 Asian Sarcopenia Consensus, participants are examined by SARC-Calf questionnaire, grip strength test and a physical performance test, including sit-stand test, short physical performance battery (SPPB), gait speed test and six-minute walk test. Afterward, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are applied to all participants to analyze body composition. Participants are classified into Sarcopenia group and severe Sarcopenia group.
• All patients receive pulmonary function test and blood test ( complete blood count, hepatic function, including [CHOL、TG、UA、SGOT、SGPT、ALK、BIL、TOTAL.BIL、DIRECT、LDH], renal function [BUN、CREAT、CA、CL、NA、K、T、P、ALB], Albumin, Vitamin D before and after the trail.
• All participants are administered Sarcojoint® containing leucinine 1 g, arginine 1.5 g, Vitamin D 7.5μg, chondroitin 400 mg, calcium 300 mg, and glucosamine 700 mg per package, and take 1 package twice a day.
• All participants are required to walk 6500 steps every day for 12 weeks, and the data are recorded by Xiaomi-smart-band.
• The research nurse provides health education and a recording handbook for exercise and dietary record to participants before the intervention. During the intervention, the research nurse tracks participants' compliance and records the adverse reaction by telephone interview at the first week, and every other week.
• At the 12th week, all participants receive a comprehensive functional assessment as that at baseline after intervention to investigate the intervention effect on different severity of Sarcopenia.
• At the 12th week, trial commissioned manufacturer provide nutritional supplements free for 3 months. Those patients will be continuously tracked for the follow-up data for the post hoc analysis.

Inclusion criteria

• Outpatients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or ILD (interstitial lung disease) from Department of Chest medicine in Taichung Veterans General Hospital, judged by the doctor that they do not need hospitalization or emergent treatment.
• Outpatients who meet the diagnostic criteria for Sarcopenia after evaluation by a physician.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who refuse to sign the consent form
• Patients who are under 20 years old
• Patients who are bedridden or unable to walk due to physical disabilities
• Patients with terminal cancer or human-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
• Patients with edema (grading pitting edema +2)