Mild to Moderate Cystic Fibrosis is not Associated with Increased Fracture Risk in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

To determine whether children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), pancreatic insufficiency (PI), and mild-to-moderate lung disease have an increased risk of fracture compared with concurrent healthy control subjects. A lifetime fracture history questionnaire was administered to 186 subjects (ages 6 to 25 years) with CF, PI and mild-to-moderate lung disease and 427 healthy white control subjects (ages 4 to 25 years). A fracture was reported by 24% of subjects with CF and 23% of healthy control subjects. Average age of first fracture was similar between the groups (8.3 years for subjects and 8.8 years for controls). The radius/ulna was the most common fracture site in both groups. Risk of fracture, adjusted for sex and age, was not greater in the CF group compared with the control group (hazard ratio: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.68, 1.30, P = .82). Children and adolescents with CF, PI, and mild-to-moderate lung disease were not at an increased risk of fracture.