Influence of thoracic spine postural disorders on cardiorespiratory parameters in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of increased thoracic kyphosis on pulmonary function and functional capacity in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to verify the influence of disease severity, age and nutritional status on this deformity.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional, analytical study conducted at a university hospital. It included CF patients with confirmed diagnosis and without pulmonary exacerbation. The sample was submitted to postural assessment, spirometry (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) and 6-minute walk test distance (6-MWT distance). Data were analyzed using the Mann Whitney test, Spearman correlation and logistic regression.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients were enrolled, 61.9% presented increase of thoracic kyphosis. There was no difference in values of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and 6-MWT distance between the groups with or without thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.407; p = 0.756; p = 0.415; p = 0.294). In the group without alteration, patients with more disease severity had a mean FEV1 of 74.1±21.9% and FVC of 79.8±18.7% while in those of lesser severity higher values were found (95.6±12.2% and 97.6±13.2%, respectively) (p = 0.027 and p = 0.027). The presence of kyphosis was correlated with age (p = 0.048) but not with severity (p = 0.151) and body mass index (p = 0.088).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a high prevalence of increased thoracic kyphosis in children and adolescents with CF. The deformity did not affect pulmonary function and functional capacity and there was no relationship with disease severity. Regardless of posture, worsening of disease severity determined worsening of pulmonary function.
Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil. re_okuro@yahoo.com.br
Renata Tiemi
RT
Okuro
Ester Piacentini
EP
Côrrea
Patrícia Blau Margosian
PB
Conti
José Dirceu
JD
Ribeiro
Maria Angela Gonçalves Oliveira
MA
Ribeiro
Camila Isabel Santos
CI
Schivinski
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult