Nutritional status and pulmonary function in patients with cystic fibrosis with and without Burkholderia cepacia colonization: role of specialist dietetic support

We have studied the impact of the introduction of a specialist dietetic service and colonization on nutrition and lung function in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in Nottingham, over a 3-year period from 1990 to 1993. We performed cross-sectional analyses of all patients attending the adult clinic (42 in 1990 and 48 in 1993) and longitudinal analysis of the 34 patients who were present in both years. Nutritional status improved in the whole clinic population following the introduction of a specialist dietetic service in 1991. The presence of colonization with Burkholderia cepacia was associated with an accelerated decline in lung function compared with patients colonized with other organisms. Despite this decline, nutritional status was well maintained in both groups of patients. This study shows that the introduction of a specialized dietetic service can result in better nutrition even in patients with declining lung function.