Elective versus symptomatic intravenous antibiotic therapy for cystic fibrosis.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the commonest micro-organism associated with respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis. Retrospective studies have suggested that using an aggressive policy of intravenous anti-pseudomonal antibiotics at regular intervals, irrespective of symptoms, increases survival.

Objectives: To determine whether there is evidence that an elective (regular) versus symptomatic intravenous antibiotic regimen is associated with an improvement in clinical status and survival rates in people with cystic fibrosis.