Measures of body habitus are associated with lung function in adults with cystic fibrosis: A population-based study()

BACKGROUND: Body habitus differences may explain some of the variation in lung function between individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). We tested the hypothesis that measures of lean muscle mass and obesity are independently associated with lung function in CF. METHODS: Cross-sectional study design using UK CF registry data from 2096 clinically stable adults. RESULTS: Serum creatinine and BMI were positively and independently associated with FEV(1) and FVC. One standard deviation increment in serum creatinine was associated with an FEV(1) increase of 171 ml (95% confidence intervals CI: + 116 to + 227 ml) in males and 90 ml (95% CI: + 46 to + 133 ml) in females. Compared to the reference group of 20–24.9 kg/m(2), those with a BMI < 20 kg/m(2) had lower FEV(1) with values of − 642 ml (95%CI: − 784 to − 500 ml) for males and − 468 ml (95%CI: − 564 to − 372 ml) for females. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective studies and controlled trials are required to ascertain if these associations have therapeutic potential in modifying disease progression.