Background: Digital health technologies (DHTs) have shown potential to improve health outcomes through improved medication adherence in different disease states. Cystic fibrosis (CF) requires care coordination across pharmacies, patients, and providers. DHTs can potentially support patients, providers, and pharmacists in diseases like CF, where high medication burden can negatively impact patient quality of life and outcomes.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, a CF-specific mobile application (Phlo) was distributed to adults with CF who received care at the University of Utah Cystic Fibrosis Center, used an iPhone, and filled prescriptions through the University of Utah Specialty Pharmacy services. Participants were asked to use Phlo for 90 days with an optional 90-day extension period. Participants completed four surveys at baseline and after 90 days. Changes in patient-reported outcomes, adherence, clinical outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization from baseline to 90 days were tracked.
Results: Phlo allowed users to track daily regimen activities, contact their care team, receive medication delivery reminders, and share progress with their healthcare team. A web-based dashboard allowed the care team to review reported performance scores from the app. Most patients (67%) said the app improved confidence in and motivation for continuing their regimen. The most important reported benefit of Phlo was having a single location to manage their whole routine.
Conclusions: Phlo is a mobile health technology designed to help patients with CF manage their treatment regimen and improve patient-provider communication.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/5082499 | DOI Listing |
Biofilm
June 2025
CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
Antibiotics are central to managing airway infections in cystic fibrosis (CF), yet current treatments often fail due to the presence of biofilms, settling down the need for seeking therapies targeting biofilms. This study aimed to investigate the antibiofilm activity of aspartic acid and its potential as an adjuvant to tobramycin against biofilms formed by mucoid and small colony variant (SCV) tobramycin tolerant strain. We assessed the effect of aspartic acid on both surface-attached and suspended biofilms within CF artificial mucus and investigated the synergistic impact of combining it with non-lethal tobramycin concentrations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
January 2025
Paediatric Unit, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Background: Cystic fibrosis is a heterogeneous disease whose severity and symptoms largely depend on the functional impact of mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. Other genes may also modulate the clinical manifestations and complications associated with cystic fibrosis. Genetic variants of the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38 have been shown to contribute to the susceptibility and severity of chronic rhinosinusitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOtolaryngol Head Neck Surg
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Objective: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a clinical entity defined by aberrant chloride (Cl) ion transport causing downstream effects on mucociliary clearance (MCC) in sinonasal epithelia. Inducible deficiencies in transepithelial Cl transport via CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) has been theorized to be a driving process in recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in patients without CF. We have previously identified that brief exposures to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mammalian cells induces an acquired dysfunction of CFTR in vitro and in vivo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cyst Fibros
January 2025
Southern Cross University, Faculty of Health, Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address:
Background: A previous Australia-wide pilot study identified pain as a significant burden in people with CF (pwCF). However, the prevalence, frequency and severity have not been evaluated using validated tools.
Methods: Australian adults, pwCF and healthy controls (HC) were invited to complete an online questionnaire from July 2023 - February 2024, consisting of four validated tools: Brief Pain Inventory, Pain Catastrophising Scale, PAGI-SYM and PAC-SYM.
Microb Pathog
January 2025
Department of Animal Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:
Burkholderia contaminans SK875, a member of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), are known to cause lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. To gain deeper insights into its quorum sensing (QS)-mediated pathogenicity, we employed a transposon (Tn) insertion-based random mutagenesis approach. A Tn mutant library comprising of 15,000 transconjugants was generated through conjugation between wild-type (WT) recipient B.
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