Dietary fibre and the occurrence of gut symptoms in cystic fibrosis

Accepted 26 October 1996
OBJECTIVE—To evaluate the effect of currentlyrecommended energy rich cystic fibrosis diets on fibre intake and toinvestigate the relationship between fibre intake and the occurrence ofgut symptoms.
METHOD—Prospective completion of non-weighed fiveday food diaries by 28 children with cystic fibrosis and comparison ofmean daily fibre intake with age matched controls who did not havecystic fibrosis. Prospective completion of similar diaries to a total of 68 children with cystic fibrosis and comparison of fibre and lipaseintake with the occurrence of gut symptoms.
RESULTS—Mean daily fibre intake in children withcystic fibrosis was 7.00 g compared with 14.65 g in controls(p<0.001). Mean daily fibre intake in eight patients troubled withmoderate or severe abdominal pain was 0.144 g/kg. This wassignificantly lower (p<0.01) than mean values for 22 patients withoccasional but mild symptoms (0.249 g/kg) and 38 with no gut symptoms(0.312 g/kg). There was a trend towards higher pancreatic enzyme doses(lipase/kg/day) in children with abdominal pain.
CONCLUSIONS—Currently recommended cystic fibrosisdiets have a low fibre content. A low residue diet might be animportant factor in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal symptoms.