The role of daily physical activity and nutritional status on bone turnover in cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background Nutritional status and daily physical activity (PA) may be an excellent tool for the maintenance of bone health in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Objective To evaluate the relationship between nutritional status, daily physical activity and bone turnover in cystic fibrosis patients. Method A cross-sectional study of adolescent and adult patients diagnosed with clinically stable cystic fibrosis was conducted. Total body, femoral neck, and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone metabolism markers ALP, P1NP, PICP, and ß-CrossLaps. PA monitoring was assessed for 5 consecutive days using a portable device. Exercise capacity was also determined. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin K were also determined in all participants. Results Fifty patients (median age: 24.4 years; range: 16-46) were included. BMI had positive correlation with all BMD parameters, with Spearman’s coefficients ranging from 0.31 to 0.47. Total hip bone mineral density and femoral neck BMD had positive correlation with the daily time spent on moderate PA (>4.8 metabolic equivalent-minutes/day; r=0.74, p<0.001 and r=0.72 p<0.001 respectively), daily time spent on vigorous PA (>7.2 metabolic equivalent-minutes/day; r=0.45 p<0.001), body mass index (r=0.44, p=0.001), and muscle mass in limbs (r=0.41, p=0.004). Levels of carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen were positively associated with the daily time spent on moderate (r=0.33 p=0.023) and vigorous PA (r=0.53, p<0.001). Conclusions BMI and the daily time spent on moderate PA were found to be correlated with femoral neck BMD in CF patients. The association between daily PA and biochemical markers of bone formation suggests that the level of daily PA may be linked to bone health in this patient group. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Vitamin K deficiency.

Vitamin K (phylloquinone, K1; menaquinone, K2) functions as an essential cofactor for the synthesis of the coagulation protein factors II, VII, IX, X and protein C and S by promoting a unique post-translational modification of specific glutamic acid residues to gamma-carboxylglutamic acid, thus mediating calcium binding to phospholipid surfaces. Vitamin K deficiency results in a depletion of liver stores of phylloquinone, decreased plasma levels of vitamin K1, increased levels of K1 epoxide, appearance of noncarboxylated protein (PIVKA), decreased levels of functioning vitamin K-dependent clotting factors and prolongation of the APTT, PT and thrombotest. When the progression of deficiency leads to abnormal clotting tests a generalized bleeding tendency occurs. Noncarboxylated prothrombin (PIVKA-II) determinations are a sensitive indicator of vitamin K deficiency. Although Vitamin K deficiency can occur at any age (warfarin, fasting, antibiotic therapy, malabsorption syndromes) the major public health problem is related to prevention of early, classic and late hemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN). A single dose of oral or parenteral vitamin K prevents classic HDN but the most effective way to prevent early HDN is by giving large doses to the mother prior to delivery (2 weeks). Late HDN in breastfed infant occurs with a prevalence of about 20 per 100,000 live births when no neonatal prophylaxis is given. Parenteral (1 mg) K1 prevents late HDN and single or repeated doses of oral vitamin K reduces the incidence but does not eliminate all late HDN. The optimal (cost, feasibility, effective) mode of neonatal prophylaxis remains to be determined.