TTR and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: With regard to appetite, nutrition, and chronic inflammation, Shinozuka et al. (2007) and Tatsumi et al. (2009) reported that HET administration decreased the serum C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 levels and increased the serum prealbumin levels, with a significant increase in body weight and improvement in the quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.