title: Preventive care for patients with chronic illness. Multivitamin use in patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: Routine supplementation with multivitamins is recommended for all patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The purpose of this study was to investigate how well patients at a large CF clinic follow recommendations for taking multivitamins and what factors affect use. A questionnaire was developed and sent to the 150 patients actively followed at our center. Of the 80 patients who returned the survey, only 47% followed clinic recommendations. Of those patients not taking extra supplements, serum vitamin A and E levels varied widely, although most were within the normal range (vitamin A 11-87 micrograms/dL, tocopherol 0.4-2.3 mg/dL, tocopherol/cholesterol 3.0-9.6 mg/g). Only 25% of respondents had known insurance coverage for vitamins. Gender or educational level did not affect adherence; however, those with minimal pulmonary disease (forced vital capacity [FVC] greater than 70% of predicted) were more likely to take vitamins than those with moderate or severe disease (P < .05). In addition to malabsorption, poor adherence should be considered by both CF specialists and primary-care providers as a cause of low serum vitamin A and E levels, especially in patients with moderate to severe lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York at Buffalo.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borowitz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wegman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E