Energy expenditure in cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Resting energy expenditure (REE) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been studied many times. The initial studies concluded that REE was increased due to either the basic defect in CF or to the lung disease. Since that time, the details have continued to challenge investigators. First it appeared that this was an abnormality that affects older male patients with CF, possibly because of deterioration in lung function. Several studies have since shown that there is a sex difference, and larger studies have suggested that prepubertal and pubertal female patients have an increased REE compared with males.