Corticosteroids and Skeletal Muscle Function in Cystic Fibrosis

Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal, Mar 2004

Corticosteroids and Skeletal Muscle Function in Cystic Fibrosis. Barry SC, Gallagher CG. Reprinted with permission from J Appl Physiol. 2003;95:1379-1 384. © 2003 American Physiologic Society.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have reduced peripheral muscle strength. We tested the hypothesis that steroid treatment contributes to muscle weakness in adults with CF. Twenty-three stable CF patients were studied. Measurements included knee extensor (KE), knee flexor (KF), elbow flexor (EF), handgrip (HG), expiratory (PE^sub max^), and inspiratory (Pl^sub max^) muscle strengths. Spirometry, body mass index (BMI), and days spent in hospital over the preceding 12 mo (DH) were also measured. Average daily dose of prednisolone over the preceding 12 mo (ADD) was 5.1 mg/day. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that ADD correlated significantly with skeletal muscle strengths (KF%, r = -0.63, P