Development and preliminary validation of the personalized cystic fibrosis medication questionnaire (PCF-MQ).

Background: A personalized approach to assessing medication knowledge may identify opportunities for education to support self-management of cystic fibrosis (CF). This project describes the development, scoring, and preliminary validity of the Personalized CF Medication Questionnaire (PCF-MQ), designed to assess knowledge of prescribed CF medication purpose, administration, and dose and frequency.

Methods: Participants completed the PCF-MQ, the Knowledge of Disease Management (KDM-CF), and the Cystic Fibrosis-Medication Beliefs Questionnaire (CF-MBQ).

Airway inflammation accelerates pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis.

Airway inflammation underlies cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary exacerbations. In a prospective multicenter study of randomly selected, clinically stable adolescents and adults, we assessed relationships between 24 inflammation-associated molecules and the future occurrence of CF pulmonary exacerbation using proportional hazards models. We explored relationships for potential confounding or mediation by clinical factors and assessed sensitivities to treatments including CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein synthesis modulators.

Long-term safety and efficacy of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor in people with cystic fibrosis and at least one allele: 144-week interim results from a 192-week open-label extension study.

Background: In two pivotal phase 3 trials, up to 24 weeks of treatment with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) was efficacious and safe in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) ≥12 years of age who have at least one allele. The aim of this study is to assess long-term safety and efficacy of ELX/TEZ/IVA in these patients.

Methods: In this phase 3, open-label, single-arm extension study, participants with -minimal function (from a 24-week parent study; n=399) or - (from a 4-week parent study; n=107) genotypes receive ELX/TEZ/IVA at the same dose (ELX 200 mg once daily, TEZ 100 mg once daily and IVA 150 mg every 12 h).

Non-respiratory health-related quality of life in people with cystic fibrosis receiving elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor.

Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) was shown to be safe and efficacious in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) heterozygous for F508del and a minimal function mutation (F/MF) or homozygous for F508del (F/F) in two pivotal Phase 3 trials, significantly improving percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second, Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised, Respiratory Domain (CFQ-R RD) scores, and sweat chloride concentration. Here, we analyzed the 11 non-respiratory domains (non-RDs) of the CFQ-R, which assess general health-related quality of life (i.e.

Childhood Respiratory Conditions: Nonasthma Chronic Lung Disease.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that results from impaired lung development or lung injury from ventilatory support. It primarily is seen in infants born prematurely. Approximately 95% of infants with BPD had a low birth weight (ie, less than 1,500 g).

Diagnostic Accuracy of Nasopharyngeal Swab Cultures in Children Less Than Five Years with Chronic Wet Cough.

Background: It is necessary to find a non-invasive and accurate procedure to predict persistent bacterial bronchitis (PBB) causative organisms and guide antibiotic therapy. The study objective was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of nasopharyngeal swab cultures with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures in children with PBB.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal swab and BAL fluid specimens were collected and cultured for bacterial pathogens prospectively from less than five-year-old children undergoing flexible bronchoscopy for chronic wet cough.

Bronchoalveolar lavage profiles in uncontrolled wheezy children compared by asthma predictive index.

Objective: The asthma predictive index (API) predicts later asthma in preschoolers with frequent wheeze. We hypothesized that airway cytology differs between API positive (API+)/negative (API-) children with uncontrolled/recurrent wheezing with dominance of eosinophils in API+ and neutrophils in API- groups respectively. The main objective of this study is to compare bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell profiles in API+/API- children with recurrent wheezing unresponsive to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).

Empire-CF study: A phase 2 clinical trial of leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitor acebilustat in adult subjects with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation in the airways. Leukotriene B4 (LTB) is a neutrophil chemoattractant and has been implicated in CF pathogenesis. Acebilustat, a novel, synthetic, small-molecule leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitor, reduces LTB production.

Efficacy and safety of inhaled dry-powder mannitol in adults with cystic fibrosis: An international, randomized controlled study.

Background: Mannitol is a mucoactive hyperosmotic agent used as add-on therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), administered twice-daily (BID) via a small, portable, breath-actuated dry-powder inhaler. This study was conducted to provide confirmatory evidence of mannitol's efficacy and safety in adults.

Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, controlled clinical trial recruited adults (aged ≥18 years) with CF, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV) 40-90% predicted.

Oral cysteamine as an adjunct treatment in cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations: An exploratory randomized clinical trial.

Background: Emerging data suggests a possible role for cysteamine as an adjunct treatment for pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis (CF) that continue to be a major clinical challenge. There are no studies investigating the use of cysteamine in pulmonary exacerbations of CF. This exploratory randomized clinical trial was conducted to answer the question: In future pivotal trials of cysteamine as an adjunct treatment in pulmonary exacerbations of CF, which candidate cysteamine dosing regimens should be tested and which are the most appropriate, clinically meaningful outcome measures to employ as endpoints?

Methods And Findings: Multicentre double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Highlights from the 2019 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

This review briefly summarizes presentations in several major topic areas at the conference: pathophysiology and basic science of cystic fibrosis lung disease, clinical trials, clinical quality improvement, microbiology and treatment of infection, and transition, advanced lung disease and transplant, mental health and psychosocial concerns. The review is intended to highlight several areas and is not a comprehensive summary of the conference. Citations from the conference are by the first author and abstract number or symposium number, as designated in the supplement.

Developing Future Clinical Pharmacy Leaders in the Interprofessional Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs and Medical Complexity (CSHCN-CMC) in a Pediatric Pulmonary Center.

The health care needs of children with special health care needs and medical complexity (CSHCN-CMC) are multifaceted and often require the expertise of various disciplines. The medication-related needs of this population can be further complicated with off-label medication use, polypharmacy, and vulnerability to medication errors. Although clinical pharmacists are increasingly becoming a common part of inpatient, pediatric interprofessional patient care teams, their presence remains lacking in the outpatient or ambulatory care realm.

Acute pulmonary embolism in a child with ANCA-negative Idiopathic Pulmonary Capillaritis.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is an uncommon and often fatal condition in children that is characterized by distinct histopathological etiologies. Herein, we discuss the case of an 11-year-old girl who presented with acute worsening of hypoxia and left-sided chest pain. The patient had lung biopsy-proven idiopathic pulmonary capillaritis and was being treated with prednisolone every alternate day, azathioprine, and hydroxychloroquine.

Highlights from the 2018 North American cystic fibrosis conference.

The 32nd annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference was held in Denver, CO on Oct. 18 to 20, 2018. This review highlights presentations in several topic areas, including the pathophysiology and basic science of cystic fibrosis lung disease, clinical trials, clinical care, and quality improvement.

Prospective multicenter randomized patient recruitment and sample collection to enable future measurements of sputum biomarkers of inflammation in an observational study of cystic fibrosis.

Background: Biomarkers of inflammation predictive of cystic fibrosis (CF) disease outcomes would increase the power of clinical trials and contribute to better personalization of clinical assessments. A representative patient cohort would improve searching for believable, generalizable, reproducible and accurate biomarkers.

Methods: We recruited patients from Mountain West CF Consortium (MWCFC) care centers for prospective observational study of sputum biomarkers of inflammation.

VX-445-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and One or Two Phe508del Alleles.

Background: VX-445 is a next-generation cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) corrector designed to restore Phe508del CFTR protein function in patients with cystic fibrosis when administered with tezacaftor and ivacaftor (VX-445-tezacaftor-ivacaftor).

Methods: We evaluated the effects of VX-445-tezacaftor-ivacaftor on Phe508del CFTR protein processing, trafficking, and chloride transport in human bronchial epithelial cells. On the basis of in vitro activity, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial was conducted to evaluate oral VX-445-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in patients heterozygous for the Phe508del CFTR mutation and a minimal-function mutation (Phe508del-MF) and in patients homozygous for the Phe508del CFTR mutation (Phe508del-Phe508del) after tezacaftor-ivacaftor run-in.

Outcome measures for pediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction: International consensus statement.

Objectives: Develop multidisciplinary and international consensus on patient, disease, procedural, and perioperative factors, as well as key outcome measures and complications, to be reported for pediatric airway reconstruction studies.

Methods: Standard Delphi methods were applied. Participants proposed items in three categories: 1) patient/disease characteristics, 2) procedural/intraoperative/perioperative factors, and 3) outcome measures and complications.

Influence of the Vibralung Acoustical Percussor on pulmonary function and sputum expectoration in individuals with cystic fibrosis.

Background: The Vibralung Acoustical Percussor is a new airway clearance therapy (ACT) utilizing intrapulmonary sound waves in addition to positive expiratory pressure (PEP). We evaluated the safety of the Vibralung and collected preliminary data on its ability to mediate sputum expectoration in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: Over two separate studies, 10 and 11 mild to moderate CF patients were recruited for study I and II, respectively.

Effects of an Antioxidant-enriched Multivitamin in Cystic Fibrosis. A Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Trial.

Rationale: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by dietary antioxidant deficiencies, which may contribute to an oxidant-antioxidant imbalance and oxidative stress.

Objectives: Evaluate the effects of an oral antioxidant-enriched multivitamin supplement on antioxidant concentrations, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and clinical outcomes.

Methods: In this investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 73 pancreatic-insufficient subjects with CF 10 years of age and older with an FEV between 40% and 100% predicted were randomized to 16 weeks of an antioxidant-enriched multivitamin or control multivitamin without antioxidant enrichment.

Highlights from the 2017 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

The 31st annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) was held in Indianapolis, IN on November 2-4, 2017. Abstracts of presentations from the conference were published in a supplement to Pediatric Pulmonology [2017; Pediatr Pulmonol Suppl. 52: S1-S776].

Structure and Functions of Pediatric Aerodigestive Programs: A Consensus Statement.

Aerodigestive programs provide coordinated interdisciplinary care to pediatric patients with complex congenital or acquired conditions affecting breathing, swallowing, and growth. Although there has been a proliferation of programs, as well as national meetings, interest groups and early research activity, there is, as of yet, no consensus definition of an aerodigestive patient, standardized structure, and functions of an aerodigestive program or a blueprint for research prioritization. The Delphi method was used by a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional panel of aerodigestive providers to obtain consensus on 4 broad content areas related to aerodigestive care: (1) definition of an aerodigestive patient, (2) essential construct and functions of an aerodigestive program, (3) identification of aerodigestive research priorities, and (4) evaluation and recognition of aerodigestive programs and future directions.

Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor in Residual-Function Heterozygotes with Cystic Fibrosis.

Background: Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene that lead to progressive respiratory decline. Some mutant CFTR proteins show residual function and respond to the CFTR potentiator ivacaftor in vitro, whereas ivacaftor alone does not restore activity to Phe508del mutant CFTR.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3, crossover trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ivacaftor alone or in combination with tezacaftor, a CFTR corrector, in 248 patients 12 years of age or older who had cystic fibrosis and were heterozygous for the Phe508del mutation and a CFTR mutation associated with residual CFTR function.

Highlights from the 2016 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

The 30th annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) was held in Orlando, FL, on October 27-29, 2016. Abstracts were published in a supplement to Pediatric Pulmonology. This review summarizes several major topic areas addressed at the conference: the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, clinical trials, clinical management issues, and quality improvement.