Cachexia is a condition of a person wherein there is extreme loss of weight causing fatigue, and weakness. This happens in someone who is not trying to lose weight. Cachexia is caused due to muscle atrophy, and loss of adipose tissue. It is also known as wasting syndrome. Cachexia causes a major loss of weight and is associated with mortality. Cachexia might be caused due a wide variety of diseases like AIDS, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, renal failure, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, chronic pancreatitis, and many others. Characterized by muscle wastage, cachexia is also caused due to a reduced levels of testosterone and increased levels of substances that inhibit muscle growth. These include insulin-like growth factor, glucocorticoids, and myostatin. People with cachexia might not appear malnourished. A loss of five percent of body mass unintentionally, having a BMI of 20 or less than that for a person below 65 years and having a BMI of 22 for a person of 65 years and above, having less than 10% body fat, having albumin levels less than 35 grams per liter, and having high levels of cytokines in the body are all signs of cachexia. Cachexia can lead to impaired quality of life, reduced immunity, improper response to treatments, and worsening of symptoms. People with diabetes are prone to a rare disorder called the acute diabetic cachexia neuropathy. This condition is a peripheral neuropathy wherein there is profound weight loss accompanied by painful and abnormal sensations in the limbs and trunk. The neuropathy is symmetric and is often accompanied by anorexia and emotional instability. This condition is caused due to poor glycemic control and might arise in both type 1 and type 2 patients.
Locate Clinic
