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Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Advance Access originally published online on September 26, 2007
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 2008 54(2):87-93; doi:10.1093/tropej/fmm070
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© The Author [2007]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Pulmonary Function Correlates with Body Composition in Nigerian Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Dorothy J. VanderJagta, Miguel R. Trujilloa, Iliya Jalob, Fidelia Bode-Thomasc, Robert H. Glewa and Patricia Agabac

aDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
bDepartment of Paediatrics, Gombe Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, Nigeria
cDepartment of Paediatrics, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria

Correspondence: Robert H. Glew, PhD, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, MSC08 4670, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001. Tel.: 505-272-2362; Fax: 505-272-3518. E-mail < rglew{at}salud.unm.edu>.


  Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with impaired growth and skeletal maturation. Decreased fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat (BF) have been reported in Nigerian children with SCD relative to healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Pulmonary abnormalities, including reduced forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and total lung capacity (TLC), have also been described in children with SCD. Since undernutrition is common in sub-Saharan Africa, we were interested in knowing the relationship between pulmonary function and body composition in Nigerian children and young adults with SCD. Body composition was determined using bioelectrical impedance and pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry in Nigerian children and young adults aged 7–35 years (n = 102) as well as healthy age-and gender-matched controls (n = 104). Age-adjusted data revealed 19–26% lower FFM for male (P < 0.001) and female (P < 0.001) subjects with SCD relative to the controls. FVC, FEV1 and PEF were also significantly reduced in male and female children and young adults with SCD compared to their control counterparts. For both male and female patients and controls, FVC, FEV1 and PEF correlated positively with FFM (P < 0.001). PEF for the female subjects with SCD diverged progressively with increasing age relative to the controls and the rate of change was significantly lower (P < 0.001). We conclude that pulmonary function is reduced in Nigerian children and young adults with SCD compared to controls and that for both groups, pulmonary function is directly related to body composition. These findings underscore the need for early nutritional intervention for children with SCD.


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