Cystic Fibrosis Can Lead to Other Conditions

If you suffer from Cystic Fibrosis, then you already know the struggles associated with having the disease, but can CF lead to more? Recent studies have shown that it might. In a study published in the Cystic Fibrosis Journal, researchers were eager to determine the effects of Cystic Fibrosis and how the disease could trigger other illnesses, and the study titled “The risk of asthma in heterozygous carriers for cystic fibrosis: A meta-analysis,” did just that. The researchers based their groundwork on previous studies that reported a clear association between CF heterozygous carriers and the chance of an elevated risk of asthma. A heterozygous carrier is someone who only has one of the CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator) genes, which means that they don’t actively have Cystic Fibrosis, but they are still likely to pass the illness onto future generations. The analysis consisted of 15 studies that involved 2,113 asthma cases and 13,457 controls. A meta-analysis was performed on published literature obtained between the years of 1966 and 2015. After all the legwork had been completed, the results were clear: CF heterozygous individuals may indeed carry a higher risk of asthma development. On top of that, it was found that the risk of these individuals obtaining asthma was even higher in Asian countries. This leads them to believe that those with Cystic Fibrosis were more affected by the environmental, demographic and social factors of Asian countries than European countries. These findings will be documented until the completion of future large cohort studies. The EliTech Group prides itself on being the world leader in Cystic Fibrosis screenings, and our testing strategies help in allowing quicker treating for all newborns that have the disease. Our tools, including the sweat collection system, Neonatal Sweat Analysis System and Chloro-Chek^® Chloridometer, are truly marvels of medical technology in testing for Cystic Fibrosis. Contact us here to find out more.”