Malnutrition and respiratory function.

Malnutrition has a tremendous impact on respiratory functions. It affects respiratory muscle performance, lung structure, defense mechanisms, and control of ventilation and predisposes to respiratory failure and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Calling clinicians' attention to this common clinical problem is the first step toward developing a systematic approach to patient care in which correction of malnutrition is an integral part of the therapy. The increased morbidity and mortality in malnourished patients can be better understood when they are superimposed on other disease conditions, such as chronic lung disease, sepsis, trauma, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Most important is the fact that many of the consequences of malnutrition can be partially reversible with appropriate refeeding.