Improved nutritional outcomes and gastrointestinal symptoms in adult cystic fibrosis patients treated with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor.

INTRODUCTION: CFTR modulator therapy improves nutritional status and quality of life. Clinical trials have shown pancreatic insufficiency conversion, mostly in pediatric patients treated with ivacaftor. Studies with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) in older patients have not suggested restoration of exocrine pancreas function, but quality data in adults are lacking. Our aim was to show the effect of ETI in adults with CF on nutritional status and digestive function. We hypothesized improvement of nutritional parameters and gastrointestinal symptoms, reduction of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, but uncertain improvement in exocrine pancreatic function. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled adults with CF treated with ETI from August 2021 to June 2022. We measured anthropometric parameters, laboratory nutritional markers, change of fecal elastase, pancreatic enzymes replacement therapy needs, and gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: In the cohort of 29 patients (mean age 29.1 years), 82.8% suffered exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. After ETI, mean BMI increased by 1.20 kg/m2 (p < 0.001), mean body weight by 3.51 kg (p < 0.001), albumin by 2.81 g/L, and prealbumin by 0.06 (both p < 0.001). Only one patient, initially pancreatic insufficient (4.5%, p < 0.001), developed pancreatic sufficiency, indicated by increased fecal elastase from 45 µg/g to 442.1 µg/g. Mean change in lipase substitution decreased by 1,969 units/kg/day (p < 0.001) and stools frequency by 1.18 per day (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest increased nutritional parameters, lower pancreatic substitution requirements, and improved defecation in adult CF patients on ETI. Improvement in exocrine pancreatic function might be mutation-specific and needs further study.

Monitoring of ECFS quality standards for the clinical management of adults with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Although cystic fibrosis (CF) standards of care have been produced and regularly updated, they are not specifically targeting at the adult population. The ECFS Standards of Care Project established an international task force of experts to identify quality standards for adults with CF and assess their adherence. METHODS: This study was composed of two phases. In the first one, a task force of international experts derived from published guidelines and graded ten quality standards for adult CF care using a modified Delphi methodology. In the second phase, an international audit was conducted among adult CF centers to retrospectively validate the quality statements and monitor adherence. RESULTS: The task force identified 10 quality standards specific to the care of adults with CF, mainly based on the 2018 ECFS standards of care. 14 adult CF centers participated in the audit, which showed that most quality standards for the management of CF in adults are met across Europe. Heterogeneity in adherence to standards was found across centers according to geographical setting and centers' characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of quality standards is a valuable resource for the standardization and monitoring of care delivery across centers taking care of adults with CF.

Allergic bronchopulmonary candidiasis: A review of the literature and a case report.

BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary candidiasis (ABPC) is an uncommon clinical syndrome associated with immune hypersensitivity to Candida species. CASE PRESENTATION: The case presentation describes a 58-year-old man with acute respiratory failure and bilateral lung infiltrates. Due to high inflammatory markers and a chest X-ray indicating lung infiltration, he was initially treated for pneumonia with combined antibiotics. Despite comprehensive treatment at the ICU, the patient's clinical status deteriorated rapidly, and further investigations provided a rare diagnosis of ABPC. After several days of combined corticosteroid and antifungal therapy, we observed rapid clinical improvement and subsequent resolution of the pulmonary infiltrates. CONCLUSION: This case report presented a rare case of ABPC mimicking bilateral pneumonia and acute respiratory failure. Our case highlighted the importance of prompt corticosteroid and antifungal treatment initiation as it resulted in rapid clinical improvement and a near complete reversal of the bilateral lung infiltrates.

Skin wipe test: A simple, inexpensive, and fast approach in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of a newly developed skin wipe test (SWT) for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF). STUDY DESIGN: Spontaneously formed sweat from the forearm was wiped by a cotton swab moistened with 100 µL of deionized (DI) water and extracted into 400 µL of DI water (SWT). The conventional Macroduct sweat test (ST) was performed simultaneously. SWT samples of 114 CF patients, 76 healthy carriers, and 58 controls were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection and Cl- /K+ and (Cl- + Na+ )/K+ ion ratios were evaluated. Chloride concentrations from Macroduct ST were analyzed coulometrically. RESULTS: Analysis of 248 SWT samples and simultaneous Macroduct ST samples showed comparable method performance. Two ion ratios, Cl- /K+ and (Cl- + Na+ )/K+ , from the SWT samples and Cl- values from the ST samples were evaluated to diagnose CF. Sensitivity of the SWT method using the Cl- /K+ ratio (cutoff value 3.9) was 93.9%, compared to 99.1% when using the (Cl- + Na+ )/K+ ratio (cutoff value 5.0) and 98.3% in using Macroduct Cl- (cutoff value higher or equal to 60 mmol/L). The methods' specificities were 97.8%, 94.0%, and 100.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The developed SWT method with capillary electrophoretic analysis for CF diagnosis performs comparably to the conventional Macroduct ST. The SWT method is simple, fast, inexpensive, and completely noninvasive. Use of an ion ratio in obtained SWT samples is proposed as a new diagnostic parameter that shows significant promise in CF diagnostics.

Capillary electrophoretic analysis of ionic content in exhaled breath condensate and pH monitoring as a non-invasive method in gastroesophageal reflux disease diagnostics.

In this study, the ionic profile and pH of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in a group of patients with acid and weakly acid reflux and no-reflux controls were compared. A portable sampler was used for non-invasive EBC collection from five exhalations. The ionic profile (anions, cations, organic acids) and pH of the collected EBC samples were measured by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection and a pH microelectrode, respectively. Several ions were elevated in the patient groups. Sodium cation was elevated in weakly acid reflux (significance level p < 0.01) and acid reflux (p < 0.05) compared to no-reflux controls. Butyrate and propionate were elevated in both acid reflux and weakly acid reflux compared to no-reflux controls (butyrate: p < 0.01, propionate: p < 0.05). The median values of pH (after de-aeration with N2) were also significantly higher (p < 0.01) in groups with acid reflux and weakly acid reflux than in the control group with no reflux. The ionic analysis and simultaneous pH measurement offer a simple, cheap, fast, and non-invasive approach in gastroesophageal reflux disease diagnostics.

Evaluation of Important Analytical Parameters of the Peptest Immunoassay that Limit its Use in Diagnosing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

GOAL: To evaluate the analytical parameters of a lateral flow (LF) pepsin immunoassay (Peptest) and assess its suitability in the diagnostics of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). BACKGROUND: Peptest is a noninvasive assay to analyze pepsin in saliva, intended for use in GERD diagnostics. Although commercialized, fundamental studies on its performance are missing. The assay therefore requires basic analytical parameter evaluation to assess its suitability in clinical practice. STUDY: Assay reaction's time dependence, reader device repeatability, and individual LF devices and longitudinal pepsin concentration reproducibility in individual subjects was evaluated. Salivary pepsin was analyzed in 32 GERD patients with extraesophageal reflux symptoms and 13 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The assay's signal increase is not completed at the recommend readout time and continues to increase for another 25 minutes. The relative standard deviation of measurement was good when using the same LF device, ranging from 2.3% to 12.9%, but the reproducibility of 10 different individual LF devices was poor. The random error when analyzing the same saliva sample on 10 LF devices was as high as 36 ng/mL and this value is thus suggested as the positivity cut-off. Pepsin concentration in individual subjects during a 10-day period varied significantly. The sensitivity of the Peptest was 36.8% in the group with acid reflux and 23.1% in the group with weakly acid reflux. The specificity was 61.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The Peptest assay's sensitivity and specificity is low, the results are highly variable and it should not be used as a near-patient diagnostic method in primary care.

New approach for cystic fibrosis diagnosis based on chloride/potassium ratio analyzed in non-invasively obtained skin-wipe sweat samples by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection.

A new approach for sweat analysis used in cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis is proposed. It consists of a noninvasive skin-wipe sampling followed by analysis of target ions using capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection (C4D). The skin-wipe sampling consists of wiping a defined skin area with precleaned cotton swab moistened with 100 µL deionized water. The skin-wipe sample is then extracted for 3 min into 400 µL deionized water, and the extract is analyzed directly. The developed sampling method is cheap, simple, fast, and painless, and can replace the conventional pilocarpine-induced sweat chloride test commonly applied in CF diagnosis. The aqueous extract of the skin-wipe sample content is analyzed simultaneously by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection using a double opposite end injection. A 20 mmol/L L-histidine/2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid and 2 mmol/L 18-crown-6 at pH 6 electrolyte can separate all the major ions in less than 7 min. Skin-wipe sample extracts from 30 study participants-ten adult patients with CF (25-50 years old), ten pediatric patients with CF (1-15 years old), and ten healthy control individuals (1-18 years old)-were obtained and analyzed. From the analyzed ions in all samples, a significant difference between chloride and potassium concentrations was found in the CF patients and healthy controls. We propose the use of the Cl-/K+ ratio rather than the absolute Cl- concentration and a cutoff value of 4 in skin-wipe sample extracts as an alternative to the conventional sweat chloride analysis. The proposed Cl-/K+ ion ratio proved to be a more reliable indicator, is independent of the patient's age, and allows better differentiation between non-CF individuals and CF patients having intermediate values on the Cl- sweat test. Figure New approach for cystic fibrosis diagnosis based on skin-wipe sampling of forearm and analysis of ionic content (Cl-/K+ ratio) in skin-wipe extracts by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection.

[Diagnostics of cystic fibrosis in adults]. / Diagnostika cystické fibrózy u dospelých.

INTRODUCTION: There is an increasing number of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with the diagnosis established in adulthood worldwide. AIM: To give an overview of our experience with the diagnostics of CF in adulthood in the Czech Republic. METHODS: CF patients with the diagnosis determined at the age 18 years during 2000-2014 period were selected from the Czech Registry of CF (www.cfregistr.cz). Demographic and clinical data were reported from medi-cal records at the time of diagnosis and as of 31st December 2014. Only those with two CF causing mutation or with one CF causing mutation together with sweat chloride concentration > 60 mmol/l were included in the study. The clinical presentation was compared with a control group consisting of homozygous F508del patients with the diagnosis established in childhood. RESULTS: 23 patients (16 men and 7 women) with the diagnosis determined at a mean age of 32.9 ± 8.5 years were included in the study. Presenting symptoms included bronchiectasis and/or haemoptysis in 12 cases, obstructive azoospermia in 7 cases and recurrent pancreatitis in 4 cases. When compared with the control group, the patients had higher age (38.6 ± 8.3 vs. 28.3 ± 4.7 years; p < 0.001), a lower concentration of sweat chloride (62 ± 23 vs. 90 ± 12 mmol/l; p < 0.001), less frequent airway infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and/or Burkholderia cepacia complex (4 vs. 12; p = 0.029), bronchiectasis (14 vs. 23; p = 0.001), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (1 vs. 23; p < 0.001) and therapy with insulin (1 vs. 9; p = 0.01); on the contrary, pancreatitis was more frequent (6 vs. 0; p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of CF in adults should be considered in those with corresponding symptoms in respiratory, digestive and reproductive tract. Clinical presentation differs from classical CF in many parameters. KEY WORDS: adults - cystic fibrosis - diagnostics.

Monitoring the ionic content of exhaled breath condensate in various respiratory diseases by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection.

The analysis of an ionic profile of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection and double opposite end injection, is demonstrated. A miniature sampler made from a 2 ml syringe and an aluminium cooling cylinder was used for the fast collection of EBC (under one minute). Analysis of the collected EBC was performed in a 60 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid, 60 mM L-histidine background electrolyte with 30 µM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and 2 mM 18-crown-6 at pH 6, and excellent repeatability of migration times (RSD <1.3% (n = 7)) and peak areas (RSD < 7% (n = 7)) of 14 ions (inorganic anions, cations and organic acids) was obtained. It is demonstrated that the analysis of EBC samples obtained from patients with various respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, cystic fibrosis) is possible in less than five minutes and the ionic profile can be compared with the group of healthy individuals. The analysis of the ionic profile of EBC samples provides a set of data in which statistically significant differences among the groups of patients could be observed for several clinically relevant anions (nitrite, nitrate, acetate, lactate). The developed collection system and method provides a highly reproducible and fast way of collecting and analyzing EBC, with future applicability in point-of-care diagnostics.

Double opposite end injection capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection for simultaneous determination of chloride, sodium and potassium in cystic fibrosis diagnosis.

A novel approach for diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is presented. A simple and fast procedure to obtain sweat sample was developed. It consists of repeatedly wiping the skin of the forearm with deionized water moisturized cotton swab and extraction in 1mL of deionized water. Double opposite end injection capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection is used for the analysis of the extract. Chloride, sodium and potassium as the three target ions that participate in the ion transfer across the cellular membranes, and are affected by CF, are simultaneously determined in approximately 3min in a background electrolyte containing 20mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid, 20mM l-histidine and 2mM 18-crown-6. By using the target ion ratios rather than the concentrations of each individual ion combined with principal component analysis, the diagnosis of CF can be made more accurately and greatly reduce the number of false positive or negative results as is often the case when single ion (chloride) is analyzed.