{beta}-Adrenoceptor-mediated thermogenesis and lipolysis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Nutrition Toxicology and Environment Research Institute Maastricht, Departments of 1 Human Biology and 2 Pulmonology, Maastricht University, NL-6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands The present study investigated whether development or maintenance of a relatively increased fat mass in normal-weight patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), despite periods of weight loss, may be related to impaired -adrenoceptor-mediated responses in lipid utilization and thermogenesis. Nine COPD patients and nine healthy controls (body mass index: 23.0 ± 1.3 vs. 23.8 ± 0.6 kg/m 2 , not significant; fat mass: 19.0 ± 2.1 vs. 11.9 ± 1.5 kg, P < 0.01) received consecutive 30-min infusions of 6, 12, and 24 ng · kg fat free mass 1 · min 1 isoproterenol. During -adrenergic stimulation, nonesterified fatty acid levels increased significantly less in COPD patients ( P