The nurse is assessing the stool of an infant with suspected cystic fibrosis.
Which of the following findings supports the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis?
The nurse is assessing the stool of an infant with suspected cystic fibrosis.
Which of the following findings supports the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis?
A. Small, hard, round stool
[8%]
B. Green, malodorous stool
[15%]
C. Oily, odorous, bulky stool
[67%]
D. Yellow, watery stool
[10%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Child Health
Lesson
Respiratory
Client Need
Test Plan
Physiological Adaptation
Related Topic
Alterations in Body Systems
Item Type
Item Type
Knowledge/Comprehension
Explanation
Choice C is correct. Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects the exocrine glands, impairing chloride and water transport in epithelial cells. This results in viscous mucus that obstructs the pancreatic ducts, leading to pancreatic enzyme deficiency. Without sufficient pancreatic enzymes, the client experiences malabsorption of fats, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and protein, which causes steatorrhea (bulky, greasy, foul-smelling stools and frequent bowel movements with an oily or shiny appearance. This is a hallmark sign seen in 85–95% of children with CF.
Choice A is incorrect. Small, hard, round stools are more characteristic of constipation or dehydration. They do not reflect the fat malabsorption associated with cystic fibrosis and do not support the diagnosis.
Choice B is incorrect. While malodorous stools are consistent with fat malabsorption, green coloration is nonspecific and not typically associated with CF. Green stools may be seen in rapid transit diarrhea or bile pigment issues, but not characteristically in cystic fibrosis.
Choice D is incorrect. Watery, yellow bowel movements are nonspecific and could be seen with a variety of causes, such as viral gastroenteritis or food intolerance. Yellow stools are not diagnostic or characteristic of cystic fibrosis.
Learning Objective
Correlate oily, odorous, bulky bowel movements with cystic fibrosis clients.
Related Videos
2 Key Topics
Cystic Fibrosis
31.8 Pediatric Respiratory Conditions
Additional Info
✓ Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease affecting primarily the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems.
✓ While universal newborn screening for cystic fibrosis is now standard in the United States, it is important to note that this screening tool cannot diagnose cystic fibrosis alone. When a newborn screening returns a positive result, it is followed by a sweat test to confirm the diagnosis.
✓ Despite advances in genetic testing, the sweat chloride test remains the standard for confirming a cystic fibrosis diagnosis in most cases because of the test's sensitivity, specificity, simplicity, and availability.
✓ Although most cases of cystic fibrosis are first identified by newborn screening, up to 10% of those with cystic fibrosis are not diagnosed until adolescence or early adulthood.
