Growth Status and Its Relationship with Serum Lipids and Albumin in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease, which affects many organs as it impairs chloride channel. This study was performed to evaluate growth status and its relationship with some laboratory indices such as Cholesterol (chol), Triglyceride (TG), albumin and total protein in children with CF referred to pediatrics center. This study was designed as a cross-sectional study in one year section. Demographic features were compared with standard percentiles curves. Chol, TG, albumin, total protein, prothrombin time, and hemoglobin were measured. Stool exams were also performed. A questionnaire was designed to obtain a history of the first presentation of disease, birth weight, type of labor and parent relativity. In 52% of patients, failure to thrive (FTT) was the first presentation. Steatorrhea and respiratory infections were the first presentations, which were seen in 13.7% and 33% of the cases, respectively. The weight of 88% of patients was below the 15th percentile while 82% had a height percentile below 15th. Head circumference in 53% of patients was below the 15th percentile. There was a significant association between weight percentile and serum albumin and total protein (P=0.03 and P=0.007, respectively). There was also a significant relationship between height percentile and serum albumin and total protein (P<0.001 and P<0.000, respectively). The relationships between head circumference and serum albumin and total protein were also significant (P=0.006 and P<0.000, respectively). There was also a significant association between height percentile and hemoglobin. The decrease in anthropometric percentiles leads to decreased serum albumin and total protein.

Keywords

• Cystic fibrosis
• Growth
• Failure to thrive