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Bone mineral and body composition alterations in paediatric cystic fibrosis patients

Philippe Reix1, Gabriel Bellon, Pierre Braillon

  • 1Service de Pédiatrie, Pneumologie, Allergologie, Mucoviscidose, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, 59 boulevard Pinel, Bron cedex, France. philippe.reix@chu-lyon.fr

Pediatric Radiology
|December 4, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) show early bone density issues, with body composition changes varying by age. Monitoring bone mineral status using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is effective in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Bone Metabolism
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Increasing lifespan in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients raises concerns about CF-related bone diseases.
  • Previous studies on bone mineralization in children with CF have produced conflicting results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To monitor body composition and bone mineral status in children with CF.
  • To assess the utility of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for evaluating bone health in pediatric CF patients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of DXA data from 161 children with CF (mean age 10 years).
  • Measurement of total body bone mineral content (BMCt), lean tissue mass (LTMt), and fat mass (FMt).
  • Comparison of measured values to ideal weight-for-height standards using BMCt/BMCti, LTMt/LTMti, and FMt/FMti ratios (bt, lt, ft).

Main Results:

  • A low bone mineral content ratio (bt) was observed across all age groups (mean bt ratio 0.94).
  • Lean tissue mass ratio (lt) decreased in children under 10, while fat mass ratio (ft) increased with age.
  • Poor clinical status, nutritional status, and vitamin A levels correlated with lower bt and lt ratios.

Conclusions:

  • Children with CF may experience early alterations in bone status.
  • Body composition ratios (lt and ft) vary with age in children with CF.
  • DXA analysis using standardized ratios is a suitable method for monitoring CF-related bone disease in children.
Abstract

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