Pathogenetic aspects of cachexia

Abstract

The relevance of cachexia syndrome is determined by its high prevalence in clinical practice. It accompanies the course of not only oncological diseases, but also the majority of chronic somatic pathologies, such as chronic heart failure, renal failure, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and others. It is known that even a slight weight loss in patients can determine an unfavorable prognosis of the underlying disease and reduce the effectiveness of therapy, and sometimes it becomes the direct cause of death of the patient. Cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome, which is based on a violation of the central regulation of metabolism. The dangerous combination of decreased appetite (anorexia) and increased metabolism is the result of an imbalance in energy exchange. Treatment of cachexia syndrome is ineffective and limited in means. Given the progressive and irreversible nature of this syndrome, early diagnosis and prevention of its development are the primary task of the doctor. The article describes the main pathogenetic aspects of the development of cachexia syndrome. They can be common in different diseases. The article discusses the difficulties of diagnosing cachexia syndrome, the possibilities and prospects of treatment.

Keywords

• cachexia
• weight loss
• anorexia
• energy exchange
• pathogenesis of cachexia syndrome