title: Growth failure in children with cystic fibrosis.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Italy. ale.scaparrotta@libero.it
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scaparrotta
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Pillo
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Attanasi
authors.forename: Nicola Pietro
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Consilvio
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cingolani
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rapino
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohn
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018529:Nutritional Support