Cystic Fibrosis at a Glance

New Diagnoses, Signs, Symptoms, and the Meaning of CF

May 3, 2009 Naheed Ali

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited illness characterized by a genetic defect.

Cystic fibrosis is characterized by a congenital defect that impedes the body's ability to carry water and salt to and from various types of cells. This creates buildup of heavy mucus that congests the lungs and digestive system. Many individuals recognize cystic fibrosis as a lung disorder but are unaware that the mucus accumulation attacks other organs as well.

Certain organs hampered by cystic fibrosis include:

Respiratory organs
Pancreas
Liver
Large and small bowels
Sinuses
Reproductive organs

CF is among the most notorious genetic illnesses and targets about one in every 2500 children born in America. It is most common among Hispanics and Whites, and seldom happens in people of African or Eastern (Asian) descent.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of CF?

The symptoms and signs of cystic fibrosis may vary, depending on the stage of the illness and the systems of the body that are struck. Early signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis are:

Large appetite
Lack of growth
Oily, bulky, malodorous bowel movements
Salty tasting skin
Excessive coughing
Continual respiratory tract infection
Trouble with breathing

Major signs and symptoms surface in the form of complications, like:

Unplanned weight loss
Pancreatitis
Diabetes
Liver condition
Sterility

Diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed by examining blood, sweat or fetal cells for the existence of substances or genes in cystic fibrosis victims.

Whenever a couple acknowledges or believes that they may be carriers of the cystic fibrosis trait, an amniocentesis, or chorionic villus biopsy may be completed during pregnancy to find out if the child will have the illness.

Currently, forty states include CF in their newborn baby screening procedures. Blood is collected from the infant's heel before he or she heads home from the clinic. The blood is sent off to a state research lab and if the flaw is discovered, the primary care doctor and local medical offices are likely to be notified.

If not noticed at birth, CF is frequently diagnosed in the first twelve to twenty-four months of life, when a patient starts to display the distinctive warning signs. The conventional test for CF is the sweat chloride screening. Since the body isn't capable of using all the sodium it absorbs, the majority of individuals with cystic fibrosis will generally excrete greater than normal levels of sodium in their sweat.

In a sweat chloride test, electrodes are put on the individual's skin to induce the sweat glands. Sweat is sampled and mailed to a research lab to measure the sodium levels. The sweat chloride test is not harmful, and it has been employed for numerous years to diagnose CF.

Prevention of Cystic Fibrosis

Not so very long ago babies with CF seldom lived past adolescence. Now, plenty is known about this illness that wasn't identified in the past. This has contributed to therapeutic regimens that permit individuals with CF to live healthy and fruitful lives well into maturity. Patients experiencing CF have to use extra precautions against problems.

They will also have to take digestive enzymes, inhaled antibiotics, and other drugs for the remainder of their lives. Furthermore, male cystic fibrosis patients are sterile, but female patients may still be able to conceive.