Metabolic abnormalities in adults with cystic fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
Survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has improved, resulting in increased exposure of patients to cardiovascular risk factors. Diabetes mellitus is common in patients with CF; however, less is known about lipid abnormalities in this population. In this study, the prevalence of lipid abnormalities was investigated in a contemporary population of adults with CF.


METHODS
Clinical and laboratory data on 221 adult patients with CF were collected retrospectively. Fasting serum glucose levels and lipid profiles were recorded. The age-specific values for healthy individuals, as reported by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, were used for comparison.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 30 +/- 10 years, 55.1% were men and the mean FEV(1)% was 68 +/- 25%. Sixty-nine patients (31.2%) had CF-related diabetes mellitus and 52 (23.5%) were receiving insulin therapy. In addition, 36 patients (16.3%) had impaired glucose tolerance. Triglyceride levels were similar to those of historical control subjects (mean +/- SEM, 1.37 +/- 0.05 and 1.39 +/- 0.02 mmol/L, respectively, P = 0.75). However, in the 30-39 years age group of CF patients, triglyceride levels were increased relative to those of their control counterparts (1.79 +/- 0.14 vs 1.38 +/- 0.04 mmol/L, P = 0.006). Total cholesterol levels were lower in the CF patients compared with control subjects, across all age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormalities of glucose metabolism are highly prevalent in CF patients, and are accompanied by hypertriglyceridaemia in the 30-39 years age group. Prospective studies are required to confirm lipid abnormalities and investigate possible cardiovascular complications in patients with CF.
Georgiopoulou
Vasiliki V
VV
Division of Cardiology, Section of Preventive Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. vgeorgi@emory.edu
Denker
Adam
A
Bishop
Kathy L
KL
Brown
Jason M
JM
Hirsh
Benjamin
B
Wolfenden
Linda
L
Sperling
Laurence
L
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human