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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter May 11, 2012

Growth failure in children with cystic fibrosis

  • Alessandra Scaparrotta EMAIL logo , Sabrina Di Pillo , Marina Attanasi , Nicola Pietro Consilvio , Anna Cingolani , Daniele Rapino , Angelika Mohn and Francesco Chiarelli

Abstract

Poor linear growth and inadequate weight gain are very common problems in cystic fibrosis (CF) children. The most important factors involved in growth failure are undernutrition or malnutrition, chronic inflammation, 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, deficit 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.


Corresponding author: Alessandra Scaparrotta, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via Dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy Phone: +39 871 358018, Fax: +39 871 574831

Received: 2012-1-17
Accepted: 2012-4-2
Published Online: 2012-05-11
Published in Print: 2012-06-01

©2012 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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