High attainment of optimal nutritional and growth status observed among Greek pediatric cystic fibrosis patients: results from the GreeCF study.
BACKGROUND
Pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffer high rates of undernutrition, subject to several parameters. We aimed to assess growth and nutritional status of Greek children and adolescents with CF.


METHODS
Eighty-four patients (35 boys) formed the sample. Anthropometrics and FEV1 were measured, growth and weight status were assessed. Body mass index (BMI), arm circumference (MUAC), fat (MUAFA) and muscle (MUAMA) were calculated.


RESULTS
In the total sample, 6.0% of the patients were underweight, 4.8% stunted, 8.3% wasted and 17.9% in nutritional failure, whereas 59.5% attained the ideal BMI for CF. FEV1 positively associated with BMI (B=0.03, p≤0.003), weight (B=0.03, p≤0.003) and MUAMA z-scores (B=0.04, p≤0.005). Meconium ileus negatively associated with FEV1 (B=-14.17, p≤0.003) and stature (B=-0.65, p≤0.043). Pancreatic insufficiency negatively influenced MUAC and MUAFA z-scores (p≤0.05 for both).


CONCLUSIONS
The examined CF patients appear to be thriving. Unlike published research, the participants' sex, gene mutation and acquisition of pathogens did not affect growth.
['Poulimeneas|Dimitrios|D|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4868-9620', 'Petrocheilou|Argiri|A|', 'Grammatikopoulou|Maria G|MG|', 'Kaditis|Athanasios G|AG|', 'Loukou|Ioanna|I|', 'Doudounakis|Stavros E|SE|', 'Laggas|Dimitrios|D|', 'Vassilakou|Tonia|T|']
D015992:Body Mass Index D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D003550:Cystic Fibrosis D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency D005260:Female D005500:Follow-Up Studies D006115:Greece D006801:Humans D008297:Male D009752:Nutritional Status D011379:Prognosis
growth cystic fibrosis underweight nutritional failure lung function