Digestive Symptoms
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Weightloss: Vitamin deficiency and malnutrition, bulky stools, flatulence, severe constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and discomfort can occur, which can lead to weight loss. These symptoms result from the blockage of the pancreatic pathways, preventing their enzymes from reaching the intestine and assist in digestion. When there is no proper digestion of food, the individual tends to look underweight. Also, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome may occur (partial or total obstruction at the point where the small intestine meets the large intestine). The weight loss occurs irrespective of if one eat well or not (i.e. it is not due to the loss of appetite most of the time) [5]
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Meconium ileus: Meconium ileus is present in about 18% of newborns with CF, is almost pathognomonic of the disease. It is a form of bowel obstruction that happens due to the fact the infant’s meconium is thicker and sticker than usual, and this can cause an obstruction in the ileum of the small intestine.