Susannah Bloch

TL;DR: Quadriceps wasting exists in patients with mild, as well as advanced, COPD, and is independently associated with physical inactivity in GOLD stage I disease, where residual volume to total lung capacity ratio was the only independent predictor of physical activity level.

TL;DR: It is hypothesized that growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15) may contribute to muscle wasting in COPD.

TL;DR: GDF-15 may increase sensitivity to TGF-β signalling by suppressing the expression of muscle microRNAs, thereby promoting muscle atrophy in ICUAW.

TL;DR: The data support the hypothesis that acute muscle loss occurs as a result of an imbalance between drivers of muscle atrophy and hypertrophy, and growth and differentiation factor-15 is a potential novel factor associated with Muscle atrophy, which may become a therapeutic target in patients with ICU acquired paresis and other forms of acute muscle wasting.

TL;DR: Key features of the disease are loss of muscle mass resulting from a shift in the dynamic balance of muscle protein synthesis and breakdown and a reduction in force-generating capacity.