New insights into the wasting mechanisms of chronic disease

Abstract

Catabolism in connection with disorders may be considered as an inevitable consequence of the disease or even as a physiological adaptation. Consequently, treatment focused against the emaciation in disease is often given low priority. However, the understanding of intrinsic mechanisms involved in the wasting of chronic disorders, its deleterious long-term effects and potential treatment possibilities has evolved largely in recent years, thus giving hope for the future development of complementary treatment modalities for diseases complicated by nutritional perturbations.