Nutritional and Functional Changes in Heart Failure and COPD

Inclusion criteria CHF subjects:

Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently
Age 45 years or older
Ability to lie in supine or elevated position for 7 hours
Diagnosis of Chronic Heart Failure; under regular care by cardiologist
NYHA class II-IV
Reduced ejection fraction (<45%) assessed in the past 2 years
Clinically stable condition; no hospitalization 4 weeks preceding first study day
Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol

Inclusion criteria COPD subjects:

Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently
Age 45 years or older
Ability to lie in supine or elevated position for 8 hours
Diagnosis of moderate to very severe chronic airflow limitation and compliant to the following criteria: FEV1 < 70% of reference FEV1
Clinically stable condition and not suffering from a respiratory tract infection or exacerbation of their disease (defined as a combination of increased cough, sputum purulence, shortness of breath, systemic symptoms such as fever, and a decrease in FEV1 > 10% compared with values when clinically stable in the preceding year) at least 4 weeks prior to the first test day
Shortness of breath on exertion
Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol

Inclusion criteria healthy control subjects:

Healthy male or female according to the investigator's or appointed staff's judgment
Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently
Age 45 years or older (older control group)
Age between 20-30 years old (young group)
Ability to lay in supine or elevated position for 7 hours
No diagnosis of CHF
Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

Any condition that may interfere with the definition 'healthy subject' according to the investigator's judgment (healthy subjects only)
History of untreated metabolic diseases including hepatic or renal disorder
Presence of acute illness or metabolically unstable chronic illness
Presence of fever within the last 3 days
Body mass index >40 kg/m2 (healthy subjects only)
Any other condition according to the PI or nurse that was found during the screening visit, that would interfere with the study or safety of the patient
Use of protein or amino acid containing nutritional supplements within 5 days of first study day
Current use of long-term oral corticosteroids (CHF only)
Use of short course of oral corticosteroids within 4 weeks preceding first study day
Failure to give informed consent or Investigator's uncertainty about the willingness or ability of the subject to comply with the protocol requirements
(Possible) pregnancy