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Relationships among nutritional status and skeletal and respiratory muscle function in cystic fibrosis: does early
R M Hanning1, C J Blimkie, O Bar-Or
1Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
In children with cystic fibrosis (CF), skeletal muscle strength, not dietary supplementation, correlated with growth. Changes in muscle strength may indicate nutritional status changes in CF patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) often experience malnutrition, impacting muscle function.
- Understanding the relationship between nutrition and muscle health is crucial for managing CF.
- Mild lung disease in CF patients may not fully reflect their overall nutritional and physical status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between nutritional status and skeletal and respiratory muscle function in children with CF.
- To determine if nutritional supplementation improves muscle function and growth in these children.
- To identify functional indices of nutritional status in pediatric CF patients.
Main Methods:
- 16 children with CF and mild lung disease were studied.
- Subjects were randomized to receive or not receive nutritional supplementation for 6 months.
- Skeletal and respiratory muscle function, body composition, and biochemical markers were assessed.
Main Results:
- Skeletal muscle strength and power were comparable to healthy children.
- Respiratory muscle strength and endurance were also similar to healthy controls.
- Stepwise regression showed changes in skeletal muscle strength and energy intake correlated significantly with growth (weight).
- Dietary supplementation alone was not linked to functional improvements.
Conclusions:
- Changes in skeletal muscle strength may serve as a functional indicator of nutritional status changes in children with CF.
- Nutritional supplementation itself did not demonstrate a direct association with functional improvements in this cohort.
- Further research is needed to optimize nutritional strategies for improving muscle function in pediatric CF.
Abstract:
Relationships among nutritional status and skeletal and respiratory muscle function were examined in 16 children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and mild lung disease (FEV1 95 +/- 16% predicted). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive (or not) noninvasive nutritional supplementation at 25% of normal energy recommendations for 6 mo. Skeletal muscle strength and power were similar to those of healthy children as were respiratory muscle strength and endurance. Stepwise-regression analysis indicated that changes in skeletal muscle strength and energy intake correlated significantly with growth [weight (kg) = 1.90 - 0.60 (Tanner Stage) + 0.49 (maximum voluntary strength (Nm) + 0.03 (energy intake, % RNI), r = 0.76, P < 0.05], though body composition, protein biochemistry, muscle power, respiratory muscle strength, and use of dietary supplements did not. Thus, changes in skeletal muscle strength may be a functional index of changes in nutritional status in CF. Dietary supplementation per se was not associated with functional improvement.