Journal of Cystic Fibrosis最新文献

Background: The triple combination Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor (ETI) translates into major respiratory improvements in adults; yet current clinical endpoints may prove insufficiently sensitive in young children. We hypothesised that ETI rapidly modifies the lungs' metabolism, resulting in changes in breath composition.

Methods: Eleven children with CF were enrolled in a longitudinal pilot study at the paediatric Necker hospital. Breath was collected on sorbent tubes using a ReCIVA® device before, after one week and one month of ETI. Samples were analysed by 2D-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (2D-GC-MS). A linear mixed-effect model, corrected for clinical confounding factors, identified exhaled metabolites differentially expressed throughout the visits. Correlations were calculated between these and clinical indicators.

Results: Breath collection was successful in all children from six years old. They presented a decreased sweat chloride and improved lung function as early as within one week of ETI. Breath composition gradually evolved over the visits. ETI induced significant modifications in the level of 12 breath metabolites. Amongst those, dimethyl sulphide and tetradecene changes correlated with improvements in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced expiratory flow (FEF_25-75), whilst 3-methyldecane and 3-(chloromethyl)-heptane were predictive of changes in lung clearance index (LCI_2.5).

Conclusions: ETI impacts the breath profile from the first week of treatment. Not only could "breathomics" bring mechanistic insights into the metabolic impact of ETI, but it may also offer novel non-invasive options to monitor CF disease and predict therapeutic response.

Background: Highly effective modulator therapies (HEMT) including ivacaftor (IVA) and elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) have transformed treatment for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). However, non-HEMT-responsive mutations are more common in pwCF of non-White race/ethnicity; introduction of HEMT might have exacerbated racial/ethnic disparities in CF care.

Methods: Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we identified all lung transplant candidates and recipients 05/2005-12/2022 and categorized them by diagnosis (CF/non-CF), race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White/Black/Hispanic) and era [Pre-HEMT (2005-1/30/2012), IVA (1/31/2012-10/30/2019), ETI (10/31/2019-12/31/2022)]. We compared the percentage of patients listed, delisted/died, or transplanted by race/ethnicity and era.

Results: 34,659 lung transplants were performed: 10,521 pre-HEMT, 15,944 in IVA era, and 7,888 in ETI era. Over the three eras, the percentage of lung recipients with CF of White race decreased (94.5 % to 92.4 % to 78.4 %) and of Black race (1.7 % to 2.4 % to 5.7 %) or Hispanic ethnicity increased (3.5 % to 4.6 % to 14.2 %; p < 0.001). Similarly, among candidates listed for CF over the three eras, the percentage that were of White race decreased (82.0 % vs. 78.6 % vs. 71.0 %) and of Black race (9.2 % vs. 10.0 % vs. 10.3 %) or Hispanic ethnicity increased (6.4 % vs. 8.6 % vs. 13.6 %; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The introduction of HEMT appears to have benefitted CF lung transplant candidates and recipients of Black race or Hispanic ethnicity less than those of White race. This is likely due to the higher prevalence of HEMT-ineligible CFTR mutations among Black and Hispanic patients and underscores the need for therapies aimed at non-HEMT-responsive mutations prevalent in these racial/ethnic populations.

Background: Whether improvements in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms observed with Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor (ETI) treatment are sustained in the longer-term requires exploration. This study investigated how GI-symptoms change with longer-term ETI use in pancreatic insufficient adults with cystic fibrosis (awCF).

Methods: Participants completed up to three abdominal symptom questionnaires, employing the validated CFAbd-Score. Changes in total CFAbd-Score and its five domains, pain, gastroesophageal reflux-disease (GERD), disorders of bowel movement (DBM), disorders of appetite (DA) and quality of life (QOL), were analysed pre-ETI (T0) and at ≤1.5 years (T1) and 2-4 years of ETI-therapy (T2).

Results: A total of 165 CFAbd-Scores from 68 participants were analysed (median age: 34 years; IQR: 28-39). Total CFAbd-Score significantly (p < 0.05) and clinically meaningfully decreased from 20.4 ± 1.6 pre-ETI (median:40 weeks pre-treatment) to 15.3 ± 1.9 and 16.8 ± 1.6 at T1 (median: 25 weeks of ETI) and T2 (median: 148 weeks of ETI), respectively. The CFAbd-Score´s domains DA and QoL only significantly decreased between T0 and T1, whereas DBM only significantly decreased after 2-4 years of ETI therapy (T2). GERD scores were significantly lower at both T1 and T2.

Conclusion: While GI symptoms in awCF significantly improve within the first 1.5 years of ETI-therapy, they appear to somewhat wane with longer-term use, despite GI-symptom burden still being lower compared to pre-ETI. However, we cannot differentiate whether this results from reduced adherence, a decrease in ETI effects, or long-term changes in diet, gut microbiota or symptom perception. The longer-term impact of ETI and other potential modulator therapies on GI symptoms requires ongoing monitoring.

Background: Elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI) has significantly improved the clinical course of people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) and eligible CFTR variants. In this study, we prospectively evaluated liver elastography, liver fibrosis indices and liver tests in children with CF aged 6-12 years started on ETI therapy.

Methods: Body mass index, sweat test, percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second, serum markers of liver injury or portal hypertension, liver fibrosis indices, controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness were assessed before starting ETI and three and twelve months post-ETI, according to new international guidelines.

Results: 27 children with CF were enrolled, 14 with liver involvement and 13 without liver involvement at baseline. A significant improvement in sweat chloride after ETI was observed in all subjects. In those with liver involvement, liver stiffness significantly decreased at 12 months of ETI, with all individuals achieving normalization or near-normalization of liver stiffness. The majority of individuals with abnormal AST, ALT, GGT, or liver fibrosis indices at baseline experienced normalization by 12 months of ETI (AST: 67%, ALT: 100%, GGT: 50%, APRI: 100%, GPR: 100%). In the no liver involvement group, the only significant change in liver health metrics at 12 months was a significant reduction in platelets (P<0.05) that remained within the normal range.

Conclusions: ETI is associated with improvement in liver stiffness, liver function tests and fibrosis indices in pwCF and liver involvement. ETI may reduce the development of advanced CF liver disease, but longer observations with larger cohorts are needed.

Background: Cystic Fibrosis-related Bone Disease is an emerging challenge faced by 50 % of adult people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The multifactorial causes of this comorbidity remain elusive. However, congenital bone defects have been observed in animal models with CFTR mutations, suggesting its importance. The role of CFTR in bone cells development is unknown. Studies from human cells remain somewhat controversial depending on the cells used and the disease state of the patients from which the cells derived.

Methods: Therefore, we investigated the role of CFTR in osteoblast development using induced pluripotent stem cells generated from homozygous CF donors for F508del and non-CF controls. This approach allows for a clear understanding towards how the CFTR mutation may influence osteoblast differentiation independently from other confounding factors.

Results: We observed a lower capacity of differentiation in CF cells as compared to control, already from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) stage, whereby they retained expression of the pluripotency marker OCT4. Furthermore, our results demonstrated a delayed osteoblast commitment and altered expression of specific markers, such as an increased RANKL/OPG ratio and decreased BMP2, suggesting a potentially perturbed bone homeostasis associated with CFTR mutation.

Conclusions: This is the first study of its kind, clearly demonstrating a role for CFTR mutation in delaying osteoblast differentiation and/or regeneration.

Introduction: The Lung Clearance Index (LCI) is an established research test, but its role in clinical decision-making is not well defined. This study estimated the proportion of treatment decisions that are changed or supported by the added information provided by LCI.

Methods: A mixed methods prospective observational study was conducted in North America. Providers were invited to participate in a clinical vignette survey consisting of 10 hypothetical scenarios involving pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) management. First, they made a clinical decision based on information captured in routine clinical visits. Then, the LCI value was made available, and providers were asked whether the LCI changed or supported their decision. A prospective study was also conducted at three CF centres to determine how often physicians make pulmonary treatment decisions at CF clinic visits and how often they perceive additional lung function data would be helpful for these decisions.

Results: We received 522 vignette responses from 62 participants. LCI changed the decision in 18.4 % of cases, supported the decision in 57.1 % and did not impact the decision in 24.5 %. Data from patient encounters in the prospective study demonstrated that changes to pulmonary treatments were considered in 98/322 (30.4 %) visits; additional lung function information could potentially have helped in 64.3 % of the treatment decisions.

Conclusion: LCI changes or supports a significant proportion of treatment decisions. Providers perceive that additional information about lung function could be helpful at the majority of encounters where changes in treatment are considered.

Background: Food insecurity (FI) is more prevalent in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) than the reported national prevalence, but there are limited data on the relationship between FI and health outcomes in PwCF. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between FI in PwCF and pulmonary and nutritional status.

Methods: We leveraged an electronic cross-sectional survey that ascertained FI status and gave participants the option to link their survey data to their records in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR). Linear regression and negative binomial models were used to estimate the associations in mean differences between FI and percent predicted FEV1 (ppFEV1), nutritional indices, and hospitalizations.

Results: There were 1,856 respondents, 1,234 (66.5 %) of whom granted permission to link to the CFFPR. FI was present in 352 (28 %) of the respondents. FI was associated with lower ppFEV1 (-6.5; 95 % CI -9.9, -3.1); however, this was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for confounders. FI was independently associated with increased hospitalizations. Higher weight for age was significantly associated with FI in the adjusted model, but there were no significant associations between height for age or absolute weight and body mass index (BMI) in adults.

Conclusions: FI in PwCF is associated with adverse health outcomes. These results support screening for FI during routine visits. Further studies are needed to investigate causal relationships between FI and adverse clinical outcomes.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by variants in a gene that encodes a protein essential for water and ion transport in the epithelial cells of exocrine organs. Given the possible relationship of this protein and conjunctival and corneal epithelium, the aim of this study was to evaluate ophthalmologic alterations in people with CF.

Methods: Forty-five people with CF underwent pulmonary evaluation including inflammatory score (IS). These people along with 98 sex-matched controls underwent ophthalmologic evaluation including dry eye disease (DED) testing, corneal topography using Pentacam™ and macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness with optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Results: The CF group presented a higher percentage of pathologic tear break-up time (T-BUT) (55.6 % vs 25 %, p = 0.001) and Schirmer's test 1 (40 % versus 19.4 %, p = 0.009) than the control group. In the CF group, an inverse correlation was observed between T-BUT and IS (r=- 0.373, p = 0.012), as well as T-BUT and peripheral eosinophilia (r=-0.338; p = 0.023). People with CF presented lower values of central corneal thickness (p = 0.009), thinnest point (p = 0.006), anterior chamber volume (p = 0.034), and anterior chamber angle (p = 0.011) than the control group and lower pRNLF thickness in the superior temporal sector (p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Our findings indicate a higher prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) among people with CF compared to controls. The severity of the condition increases with higher systemic inflammation. Additionally, CF may affect the anterior segment of the eye, leading to a reduction in the nerve fiber layer and early signs of glaucoma.

Background: Highly effective CFTR modulators improve CFTR function and lead to dramatic improvements in health outcomes in many people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). The relationship between measures of CFTR function, such as sweat chloride concentration, and clinical outcomes in pwCF treated with CFTR modulators is poorly defined. We conducted analyses to better understand the relationships between sweat chloride and CFTR function in vitro, and between sweat chloride and clinical outcomes following CFTR modulator treatment.

Methods: Mean sweat chloride values in healthy people, CF carriers, and pwCF treated with CFTR modulators at different doses were compared to chloride transport in corresponding human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. A pooled analysis of phase 3 CFTR modulator studies was performed to evaluate the relationship between attained values of sweat chloride and improvements in lung function, body mass index (BMI), patient reported outcomes, pulmonary exacerbations, and lung function change over time.

Results: Sweat chloride concentrations in vivo correlated strongly with CFTR-dependent chloride current in HBE cells in vitro. Sweat chloride values of <30 mmol/L and ≥30 to <60 mmol/L in pwCF following CFTR modulator treatment were associated with better clinical outcomes than sweat chloride ≥60 to <80 mmol/L and ≥80 mmol/L.

Conclusions: In pwCF treated with CFTR modulators, lower sweat chloride levels (reflecting greater CFTR function) are associated with better clinical outcomes. These results support the therapeutic strategy of further restoring CFTR function towards normal, as reflected in lowering sweat chloride to below the diagnostic threshold for CF (<60 mmol/L) and to normal (<30 mmol/L), with CFTR modulators.