Journal of Cystic Fibrosis最新文献

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.

Background: Adult people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) have a higher risk of end-stage kidney disease than the general population. The nature and mechanism of kidney disease in CF are unknown. This study quantifies urinary kidney injury markers and examines the hypothesis that neutrophil activation and lung infection are associated with early kidney injury in CF.

Methods: Urinary total protein, albumin, and markers of kidney injury and neutrophil activation, normalized to creatinine, as well as urinary immune cells, were quantified in adult CF and healthy cohorts. Infection burden and chronicity were defined by sputum culture and serum titers of anti-bacterial antibodies.

Results: PwCF had increased urinary protein levels, consisting of low-molecular-weight tubular injury markers, independent of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). This finding suggests subclinical renal injury processes. Urinary analysis of the CF cohort identified different associations of urinary injury markers with aminoglycoside exposure, lung function, and neutrophil activation. High urinary KIM-1 levels and increased prevalence of neutrophils among urine immune cells correlated with decreased lung function in PwCF. The relationship between tubular injury and reduced lung function was most prominent in patients harboring chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Conclusions: Increased urinary tubular injury markers in PwCF suggest early subclinical renal injury not readily detected by eGFR. The strong association of high urinary KIM-1 and neutrophils with diminished lung function and high Pseudomonas aeruginosa burden suggests that pulmonary disease may contribute to renal injury in CF.