Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is common in patients with muscle wasting-related chronic diseases. We explored the hypothesis that the use of PPIs may contribute to a reduction in muscle mass and function in these patients. Literature indicates that a PPI-induced reduction in acidity of the gastrointestinal tract can decrease the absorption of, amongst others, magnesium. Low levels of magnesium are associated with impaired muscle function. This unwanted side-effect of PPIs on muscle function has been described in different disease backgrounds. Furthermore, magnesium is necessary for activation of vitamin D. Low vitamin D and magnesium levels together can lead to increased inflammation involved in muscle wasting. In addition, PPI use has been described to alter the microbiota’s composition in the gut, which might lead to increased inflammation. However, PPIs are often provided together with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are anti-inflammatory. In the presence of obesity, additional mechanisms could further contribute to muscle alterations. In conclusion, use of PPIs has been reported to contribute to muscle function loss. Whether this will add to the risk factor for development of muscle function loss in patients with chronic disease needs further investigation.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease primarily affecting the pulmonary vasculature and heart. PAH patients suffer from exercise intolerance and fatigue, negatively affecting their quality of life. This review summarizes current insights in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying PAH. It zooms in on the potential involvement of nutritional status and micronutrient deficiencies on PAH exercise intolerance and fatigue, also summarizing the potential benefits of exercise and nutritional interventions. Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for publications on pathophysiological mechanisms of PAH negatively affecting physical activity potential and nutritional status, and for potential effects of interventions involving exercise or nutritional measures known to improve exercise intolerance. Pathophysiological processes that contribute to exercise intolerance and impaired quality of life of PAH patients include right ventricular dysfunction, inflammation, skeletal muscle alterations, and dysfunctional energy metabolism. PAH-related nutritional deficiencies and metabolic alterations have been linked to fatigue, exercise intolerance, and endothelial dysfunction. Available evidence suggests that exercise interventions can be effective in PAH patients to improve exercise tolerance and decrease fatigue. By contrast, knowledge on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies and the possible effects of nutritional interventions in PAH patients is limited. Although data on nutritional status and micronutrient deficiencies in PAH are scarce, the available knowledge, including that from adjacent fields, suggests that nutritional intervention to correct deficiencies and metabolic alterations may contribute to a reduction of disease burden.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare progressive and lethal disease affecting pulmonary arteries and heart function. The disease may compromise the nutritional status of the patient, which impairs their physical performance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients. Methods: Eighty-one blood samples from a prospective observational cohort study were analyzed for concentrations of micronutrients and inflammation-related factors. The samples consisted of newly diagnosed (treatment-naive) PAH and CTEPH patients and patients treated for 1.5 years according to ERS/ESC guidelines. Results: In the newly diagnosed group, 42% of PAH patients and 21% of CTEPH patients were iron deficient compared to 29% of PAH patients and 20% of CTEPH patients in the treatment group. Vitamin D deficiency occurred in 42% of the newly diagnosed PAH patients, 71% of the newly diagnosed CTEPH patients, 68% of the treated PAH patients, and 70% of the treated CTEPH patients. Iron levels correlated with the 6 min walking distance (6MWD). Conclusions: Iron and vitamin D deficiencies are highly prevalent in PAH and CTEPH patients, underlining the need for monitoring their status. Studies evaluating the effects of supplementation strategies for iron and vitamin D are necessary.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by remodelling of the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle (RV), which leads to functional decline of cardiac and skeletal muscle. This study investigated the effects of a multi-targeted nutritional intervention with extra protein, leucine, fish oil and oligosaccharides on cardiac and skeletal muscle in PAH. PAH was induced in female C57BL/6 mice by weekly injections of monocrotaline (MCT) for 8 weeks. Control diet (sham and MCT group) and isocaloric nutritional intervention (MCT + NI) were administered. Compared to sham, MCT mice increased heart weight by 7%, RV thickness by 13% and fibrosis by 60% (all p < 0.05) and these were attenuated in MCT + NI mice. Microarray and qRT-PCR analysis of RV confirmed effects on fibrotic pathways. Skeletal muscle fiber atrophy was induced (P < 0.05) by 22% in MCT compared to sham mice, but prevented in MCT + NI group. Our findings show that a multi-targeted nutritional intervention attenuated detrimental alterations to both cardiac and skeletal muscle in a mouse model of PAH, which provides directions for future therapeutic strategies targeting functional decline of both tissues.