Please note: While some information will still be current in a year, other information may already be out of date in three months time. If you are in any doubt, please feel free to ask.

ADEK and vitamins for pancreatic sufficient patients

Question
Pancreatic sufficient patients with CF should take ADEK and vitamins supliments?

My baby has deltaF508 and R1070W and is almost healthy (details are in a previous question).

Thank you.
Answer
Dear Parent
Thank you for your question regarding vitamin supplementation with ADEK for your 3 year old baby. From the information you have provided it seems like your baby is healthy, is growing well and is pancreatic sufficient.

Malabsorption of fat soluble vitamins (A, D E and K) is likely in most patients with CF particularly those who are pancreatic insufficient. Current recommendations favour routine supplementation of vitamin A, D and E for those individuals who have low blood levels or clinical evidence of deficiency.
ADEK fat soluble vitamin preparation is no longer available and has been replaced by AQUADEKS (www.aquadeks.eu) . This is a complete nutritional supplement specifically designed to meet the needs of those who have difficulty in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients (mainly CF patients who have pancreatic insufficiency).

It is recommended that your baby has his/her fat soluble blood vitamin levels checked (A D E). Based on the results your CF team can recommend a dose of fat soluble vitamins to normalise blood levels without causing hypervitaminosis. Your physician may recommend Aquadek if it is felt that your child requires supplementation with vitamins A D and E. However complete supplementation of all fat soluble vitamins may not be necessary. In this case separate vitamin preparations may be recommended. The blood levels should be checked again in a few months and the dose of vitamin supplements adjusted accordingly. Thereafter your child should have their blood fat soluble vitamin levels measured annually.
Kind regards
Dee Shimmin
Cystic Fibrosis Trust Nutrition Working Group. Nutritional Management of Cystic Fibrosis. London. Cystic Fibrosis Trust, April 2002
Sinaasappel M, Stern M, Littlewood J, et al. Nutrition in patients with cystic fibrosis: a European consensus. J Cyst Fibros 2002; 2: 51-75.
30.01.2012
The answer is edited by: Dee Shimmin