Usually the nutritional status of children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in our country es deficient.

In order to evaluate the effect of a short-term high-fat oral supplementation in the nutritional status of 19 patients with CF, we studied two groups : Group 1 (G1) with 13 children (7 boys and 6 grils, median age of 11.2 years) that received the oral supplement, and Group II (GII), with 6 children (2 boys and 4 girls, median age of 10.5 years) who acted as controls. Except for the supplement both groups had the same clinical features and received the same treatment. Anthropometric measurements, quantitative assessment of energy intake and serum biochemical parameters were determined on admission and prior to discharge from hospital.

There was no difference between the two groups in weight gain, in the variations of height, skinfolds or body fat. Z Scores calculated were similar between the two groups : weight/age (GI=2.19 ± 1.0 vs GII= 2.57±1.1) and height /age (GI=1.73 ± 1.4 vs GII 2.06 ± 1.4), and confirms the chronic and severe malnutrition of the patients. Considering the percentual RDA, GI had higher offer /kcal/Kg/day) : GI= 146 ± 20 vs GII= 105 ± 13 (p<0.05) and higher intake (kcal/kg/day) : GI= 126 ± 22 vs GII= 81 ± 27 (p<0.05). The biochemical assessment revealed a significant increase of pre-albumin levels in GI at the end of the study. There were no variations in the levels of triglycerides, but the cholesterol levels increased significantly in both groups. We conclude that the RDA recomendation for CF children, achieved with the use of a high-fat oral supplement, was the determinant factor of the nutritional recovery attested by the increase in the pre-albumin levels.