Caloric Deficiency Decreases Lung Function without Affecting Respiratory Muscle Strength Beyond Reducing Pulmonary IL-10 Levels in Older Adults without COPD

Undernutrition is closely related to cachexia resulting in loss of muscle mass, beyond to immunological dysregulation. However, is unknown whether undernutrition may result in impairment of lung function and in the specific pulmonary immune dysregulation in older adults. So, 64 older adults (≥ 60 years old), from both genders, were evaluated. Of note, a 24-hour dietary record and the food frequency questionnaire was used to classify the older adults into normocaloric, hypercaloric and hypocaloric diet. From 64 older adults, 43 were classified as hypocaloric (67.28%), 18 normocaloric (28.12%) and 3 hypercaloric (4.68%). The spirometry revealed that comparing hypocaloric versus normocaloric group, forced vital capacity (FVC, % of predicted) was reduced (90.15±14.42 versus 101.68±19.25; p<0.0214), forced volume in the first second (FEV1, % of predicted) (102.00±17.67 versus 88.68±14.85; p<0.0039), and FEV1/FVC (% of predicted) (93.11±11.02 versus 98.48±6.95; p<0.0353). For all other lung function parameters and for maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure, no differences were observed. However, the hand grip strength (Kg) showed a reduced strength for right (24.57±5.41 versus 27.63±7.74; p<0.0296) and left (24.00±6.01 versus 28.28±7.42; p<0.0123) hand when hypocaloric versus normocaloric group was compared. The analysis of IL-10 in the BC showed that hypocaloric group presented reduced levels of IL-10 compared to normocaloric group (24.00±6.01 versus 28.28±7.42; p<0.0123). Undernutrition in older adults’ results in decreased lung function and in pulmonary immune dysregulation.