What is cachexia?

What is cachexia?

• A. A localized swelling
• B. A type of infection
• C. A syndrome characterized by anorexia, weight loss, weakness, and altered metabolism
• D. A form of cancer cell

Answer: (C)

Cachexia is a complex syndrome of metabolic changes that leads to involuntary weight loss and muscle wasting, driven by reduced intake (anorexia) and an abnormal, catabolic metabolism. It involves weakness and a sustained shift in energy balance, with increased energy expenditure and loss of lean body mass. This combination distinguishes cachexia from simple weight loss or fluid swelling. It’s not simply a localized swelling (edema), nor a standalone infection, nor a cancer cell type—the description that fits best is a systemic syndrome marked by anorexia, weight loss, weakness, and altered metabolism.

Cachexia is a complex syndrome of metabolic changes that leads to involuntary weight loss and muscle wasting, driven by reduced intake (anorexia) and an abnormal, catabolic metabolism. It involves weakness and a sustained shift in energy balance, with increased energy expenditure and loss of lean body mass. This combination distinguishes cachexia from simple weight loss or fluid swelling.

It’s not simply a localized swelling (edema), nor a standalone infection, nor a cancer cell type—the description that fits best is a systemic syndrome marked by anorexia, weight loss, weakness, and altered metabolism.