NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS - AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE IN GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION

The gastrointestinal problems in cystic fibrosis (CF) may limit energy and nutrient availability and also cause symptoms such as abdominal p ain and disturbed bowel habit which may further suppress appetite or a lter the diet. Taken together this may lead to an inadequate supply of energy and nutrients to meet the nutritional requirements of the indi vidual resulting in restricted growth or weight loss. A failure to opt imize the digestive and absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tr act places greater emphasis upon nutritional management by food intake alone. Practitioners need to focus more on gastrointestinal dysfuncti on in CF and its impact upon food intake in order to improve the effic acy of nutritional management. Refined stable isotopic tracers allow f urther exploration of the pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal trac t in terms of nutrient availability. In clinical practice, a closer as sessment of gastrointestinal function is supported by the use of simpl e, noninvasive tools which, both objectively and systematically, chara cterize those patients who have problems.