Cystic Fibrosis Patients Also Experience Poor Sleep, Fatigue, Depression

Targeting Non-Pulmonary Dimensions of CF Care

The current study highlights an aspect of quality of life that is often forgotten when managing adults with CF and may affect their well-being despite effective therapy to improve function and prolong life, said Wissam Chatila, MD, professor of thoracic medicine and surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, in an interview.

The high incidence of poor sleep, fatigue, depression, and anxiety seen in the current study was “somewhat surprising,” Dr. Chatila said. Also somewhat surprising was the chronicity of the symptoms considering the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies (designed to correct the malfunctioning protein made by the CFTR gene) that have changed the face of CF, he noted.

However, recent growth in the number of adult patients with CF (more than 50% in certain countries) has led to a change in pathologies that physicians have to manage, and the current study addresses some of the emerging pathologies, said Dr. Chatila.

“Beyond demonstrating survival data from registries and other epidemiologic studies, this study sheds light on the need to address patient-reported outcomes that may or may not be directly related to the pulmonary and GI effects of the CFTR modulators,” he said. “Recognizing the extent of the dysfunction that many CF patients continue to suffer from will eventually lead to identifying factors that contribute to poor outcomes and the mechanisms involved,” he added.

Overall, the current study illustrates the potential benefits of offering personalized medicine to adults with CF that improves not only their physical function but also their mental health, Dr. Chatila said.

The study was funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dr. Riekert had no financial conflicts to disclose. Dr. Chatila had no financial conflicts to disclose.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.