A 67-year-old male with a long-standing history of COPD presents with loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss over the past few months. What might be the issue and what are the next steps?
Unintentional weight loss and loss of appetite in a patient with COPD may suggest COPD-related cachexia, especially if chronic respiratory symptoms and exacerbations are also present. However, malignancy (such as lung cancer) and other systemic diseases should be ruled out. The next steps would include a detailed history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and potentially imaging studies. Nutritional support and interventions to increase physical activity are usually beneficial in managing COPD-related cachexia.