Growth failure in children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Poor linear growth and inadequate weight gain are very common problems in cystic fi brosis (CF) children. The most important factors involved in growth failure are undernutrition or malnutrition, chronic infl ammation, lung disease, and corticosteroid treatment. Nutritional support and pharmacological therapy with recombinant human growth hormone are essential for a good management of children with CF, although these children are shorter and lighter than healthy children, and despite the catch-up growth observed after diagnosis, defi cit in length/height and weight continues to be seen until adulthood. Early diagnosis is essential to ensure better nutritional status and growth, potentially associated with better respiratory function and prognosis. The aims of this review are try to explain etiology and pathogenetic mechanisms of growth failure in CF children and clarify their role in the disease morbidity and in clinical outcome, especially in relation to progressive decline of pulmonary function.

Testing a Novel Method for Measuring Sleeping Metabolic Rate in Neonates

“…17 Poor nutrition in children with complex CHD has been shown to be associated with infection risk, increased hospital stay, and mortality after cardiac surgery. [18][19][20] The methods described here may support nutritional interventions in other chronic conditions known or suspected to increase the risk for growth failure in infancy, such as cystic fibrosis, 21 immune disorders, 22 and inflammatory bowel disease. 23 Similarly, babies born prematurely have increased nutritional needs that vary based on gestational age and birth weight.…”

Diagnosis and treatment of endocrine comorbidities in patients with cystic fibrosis

“…Malnutrition from malabsorption, inadequate intake and increased calorie requirements, chronic inflammation, dysglycemia and glucocorticoid usage have been clearly shown to contribute to a poor longitudinal growth in patients with CF [77]. However, the impairment in longitudinal growth cannot be explained entirely by these factors.…”

“…Growth impairment in CF can be observed in infants from the age of 6 weeks and is more severe during adolescence [77, 80]. According to the US National CF Patient Registry, 14.6% of patients with CF were <5% of percentile for height-for-age according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth charts [77].…”

“…According to the US National CF Patient Registry, 14.6% of patients with CF were <5% of percentile for height-for-age according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth charts [77]. …”

“…The goals are to promote normal growth and nutritional status [77]. Multiple studies have demonstrated significant improvement in weight and height in children with CF treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) [83–86].…”