Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

In a recent symposium, scientists discussed the increased importance of physical therapy in addressing cystic fibrosis-associated muscle impairments and urinary incontinence. The presentation, titled “Posture, Pelvic Floor & Pistons: A Look Beyond ‘Kegels’ to Treat Urinary Incontinence,” was given today at the Symposium “Growing Older With CF” at the 30th…

In a recent presentation, researchers showed how Kalydeco (ivacaftor) is an effective therapy in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with pancreatic insufficiency, improving the patients’ pulmonary function and weight, along with other clinical parameters. The presentation, “Improvement in weight, pulmonary function and other outcomes with 3-month Ivacaftor treatment differed by exocrine pancreatic…

Young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) are particularly vulnerable to depression. As a consequence, these patients may have low rates of adherence to treatments and a severely impaired quality of life, researchers report. The study, “Associations between adherence, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in young adults with…

Platelets  circulating in the blood of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients do not contribute to the increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines known to exist in these patients, and which   aggravate the chronic inflammation that marks the disease, researchers reported. Their study, “Decreased TGF-β1 and VEGF Release in Cystic Fibrosis Platelets: Further Evidence for Platelet…

Adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) show improvements in lung function decline when treated with a high dosage of tiotropium bromide taken over a long term (24 months). Patients with cystic fibrosis often succumb to chronic lung disease, the leading cause of death among cystic fibrosis patients. Chronic lung disease is often…

A recent study confirmed that different structure and composition of airway microbiota (symbiotic helpful and harmful microrganisms) exist in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with stable or declining lung function; and shed new light on the fact that microbiota in stable lungs provides higher resilience to bacteria than lungs in severe function decline.

Individuals carrying the mutated gene for cystic fibrosis (CF) show an increased risk for asthma, in particular CF carriers from Asian countries. The study, “Risk of asthma in heterozygous carriers for cystic fibrosis: A meta-analysis,” was published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. People with CF are known to have a higher…

New research from the University of Iowa’s Pappajohn Biomedical Institute (PBI) suggested that the sticky mucus found in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is more viscous than usual because the thin layer coating the airways is more acidic in these people, a finding that supports a current therapeutic approach for CF. The study, “Acidic…

Ivacaftor (Kalydeco) treatment improves airway flexibility and capacity in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to the results of a study, “Acute administration of ivacaftor to people with cystic fibrosis and a G551D-CFTR mutation reveals smooth muscle abnormalities,” published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation…

Arch Biopartners is collaborating with the University of Cincinnati (UC) for a new drug candidate, AB569, for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. Last year, the U.S. FDA granted orphan drug status to Arch Biopartners’ AB569. The company also applied for orphan drug designation from the…