Monthly Archives: February 2023

Cystic fibrosis (CF) can affect a persons quality of life and influence their life expectancy. How long someone with CF can expect to live depends on their age and the stage of their condition.

Before the 1980s, about half of the people with CF did not live into their 20s. However, over the past few decades, life expectancy for people with this condition has improved dramatically.

Thanks to advances in treatment and care, people with CF can now expect to live much longer. In fact, recent research suggests that by 2025, the number of adults living with CF will increase by approximately 75%.

Several factors including sex, lifestyle choices, any infections, and the type of CF gene mutation that a person has can influence life expectancy.

Some research has reported that people with CF find information on life expectancy to be useful. It may especially help with formulating a healthcare plan and dealing emotionally with the condition.

In this article, we look at average life expectancies for people with CF based on their age and other factors.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry tracks people with CF who are receiving care at specialist centers across the United States.

The Patient Registry Annual Data Report publishes the median predicted survival age of people with CF based on their year of birth. The median predicted survival age is an internationally accepted way to estimate life expectancy.

Unlike a mean average, the median uses the midpoint in a set of numbers. It more accurately reflects the age that a person with CF can expect to reach.

Based on the 2017 statistics, the median predicted survival ages are:

The data also indicate that half of all babies born with CF in 2017 will live to be 46 or older.

Other statistics suggest that more than 50% of babies with CF born in 2018 and 50% of people with CF aged 30 or older in 2018 will likely reach at least their fifth decade of life.

It is important to note that small changes in the CF population can have significant effects on the calculations. The current figures for life expectancy at birth are estimates that can change from one year to the next.

Also, these predictions do not take into account the potential for improvements in care and treatment that may occur as people age.

It is also important to note that these figures are just averages. Some people will live longer. In fact, some people with CF are living into their 70s.

These statistics reflect current life expectancy rates in developed countries, such as the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

However, Cystic Fibrosis Worldwide suggest that in developing countries, such as El Salvador and India, life expectancy for people with CF is under 15 years of age.

When discussing life expectancy, it is also important to consider a persons quality of life. How an individual views their quality of life depends on a number of factors, including their age and general health status.

Many people with CF develop health complications as they age. Some of these can contribute to reduced quality of life and early death.

Potential complications include:

Despite the possibility of these complications, some research suggests that the perception of quality of life improves as people with CF get older. The study relied on self-reported data from more than 300 adults with CF.

More specifically, the findings suggest that as people with CF age, they perceive their treatment burden differently and their emotional functioning increases.

This differs from person to person, however. For example, people with better lung function consistently rate their quality of life as being higher, compared with the ratings of people with poorer lung function.

In the later stages of CF, complications often cause serious problems for people. These complications typically affect the lungs, but they may also affect the:

The leading causes of death among people with CF are respiratory failure and chronic progressive pulmonary disease.

Other conditions, such as acute pancreatitis, can lead to fatal heart, lung, or kidney issues.

Several factors can influence a persons quality of life and life expectancy. These include:

As people get older, there is an increased risk of complications, some of which can be fatal.

However, other factors may have a greater influence on life expectancy, which is why some people with CF live into their 70s.

Women with CF have a poorer outlook than men with the condition. Some research suggests that this is due to the increased risk of death in women with CF-related diabetes.

Life expectancy for people with CF largely depends on the complications that they develop. Conditions associated with a lower survival rate include:

To date, researchers have discovered over 1,700 mutations in the CFTR gene that can give rise to CF. Some mutations cause more severe symptoms than others, and some may be associated with earlier death.

For example, the delta F508 mutation is one that scientists have linked with a shorter life expectancy. This is the most common mutation, representing around 70% of mutations.

There are many treatment options available for CF. Often, people receive a combination of treatments, depending on their symptoms and complications.

For example, people with severe lung problems may require a lung transplant. Although this does not cure CF, receiving a transplant may improve survival and quality of life. The 5 year survival rate after a transplant is approximately 50%.

Newer treatments, including inhaled antibiotics and other medications, have increased and will likely continue to increase life expectancy rates going forward.

Also, the availability of newborn screening tests in all 50 states means that most people in the U.S. can receive a diagnosis and treatment at the earliest stage. In general, the earlier people begin treatment, the better their outlook will be.

Some other factors can play a role in life expectancy rates. For example, exposure to cigarette smoke or a low socioeconomic status may increase the risk of earlier death.

Although there is no cure for CF, people with the condition are now living longer than ever. Their self-reported quality of life is also much better than in previous decades.

Researchers continue to investigate the genetic mutations that cause CF and work toward potential treatments and cures.

It is important for people with CF to try to remain optimistic about the future, as scientists continue to make advances.

Read more here:

Cystic fibrosis life expectancy: Averages by stage and age

What is a cystic fibrosis carrier?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects the glands that make mucus and sweat. Children may be born with cystic fibrosis if each parent carries one faulty gene for the disease. Someone with one normal CF gene and one faulty CF gene is known as a cystic fibrosis carrier. You can be a carrier and not have the disease yourself.

Many women find out they are carriers when they become, or are trying to become, pregnant. If their partner is also a carrier, their child may be born with the disease.

If you and your partner are both carriers, you will likely want to understand how likely it is that your child will be born with cystic fibrosis. When two CF carriers have a baby, there is a 25 percent chance that their baby will be born with the disease and a 50 percent chance that their baby will be a carrier of a CF gene mutation, but not have the disease themselves. One in four children will neither be carriers nor have the disease, therefore breaking the chain of heredity.

Many carrier couples decide to undergo a genetic screening test on their embryos, called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This test is done prior to pregnancy on embryos acquired through in vitro fertilization (IVF). In PGD, one or two cells are extracted from each embryo and analyzed to determine if the baby will:

The removal of cells does not adversely affect the embryos. Once you know this information about your embryos, you can decide which to have implanted in your uterus in the hopes that a pregnancy will occur.

Women who are carriers of CF do not experience infertility issues because of it. Some men who are carriers have a specific type of infertility. This infertility is caused by a missing duct, called the vas deferens, which transports sperm from the testicles into the penis. Men with this diagnosis have the option of having their sperm recovered surgically. The sperm can then be used to implant their partner through a treatment called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

In ICSI, a single sperm is injected into an egg. If fertilization occurs, the embryo is implanted into the womans uterus, through in vitro fertilization. Since not all men who are carriers of CF have infertility issues, it is important that both partners get tested for the defective gene.

Even if both of you are carriers, you can have healthy children.

Many CF carriers are asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms. Approximately one in 31 Americans is a symptomless carrier of a defective CF gene. Other carriers experience symptoms, which are usually mild. Symptoms include:

Cystic fibrosis carriers are found in every ethnic group. Following are estimates of the CF gene mutation carriers in the United States by ethnicity:

Regardless of your ethnicity or if you have a family history of cystic fibrosis, you should get tested.

Theres no cure for cystic fibrosis, but lifestyle choices, treatments, and medications can help people with CF live full lives, despite the challenges they face.

Cystic fibrosis primarily affects the respiratory system and digestive tract. Symptoms can range in severity and change over time. This makes the need for proactive treatment and monitoring from medical specialists especially important. Its crucial to keep immunizations up-to-date and to maintain a smoke-free environment.

Treatment typically focuses on:

Doctors often prescribe medications to achieve these treatment goals, including:

Other common treatments include bronchodilators, which help keep airways open, and physical therapy for the chest. Feeding tubes are sometimes used overnight to help assure adequate calorie consumption.

People with severe symptoms often benefit from surgical procedures, such as nasal polyp removal, bowel blockage surgery, or lung transplant.

Treatments for CF continue to improve and with them so does the quality and length of life for those who have it.

If youre hoping to be a parent and find out youre a carrier, its important to remember that you have options and control over the situation.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends offering carrier screening for all women and men who wish to become parents. Carrier screening is a simple procedure. You will need to provide either a blood or saliva sample, which is acquired via a mouth swab. The sample will be sent off to a lab for analysis and provide information about your genetic material (DNA) and will determine if you carry a mutation of the CF gene.

Read the original post:

Cystic Fibrosis Carrier: What You Should Know - Healthline

Amniocentesis: A procedure in which amniotic fluid and cells are taken from the uterus for testing. The procedure uses a needle to withdraw fluid and cells from the sac that holds the fetus.

Amniotic Fluid: Fluid in the sac that holds the fetus.

Carrier: A person who shows no signs of a disorder but could pass the gene to their children.

Carrier Screening: A test done on a person without signs or symptoms to find out whether he or she carries a gene for a genetic disorder.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS): A procedure in which a small sample of cells is taken from the placenta and tested.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF): An inherited disorder that causes problems with breathing and digestion.

Diagnostic Test: A test that looks for a disease or cause of a disease.

Embryo: The stage of development that starts at fertilization (joining of an egg and sperm) and lasts up to 8 weeks.

Ethnic-Based Screening: Screening recommended for people who belong to an ethnic group or race that has a high rate of carriers of a specific genetic disorder.

Expanded Carrier Screening: A blood test to screen for a large number of genetic disorders.

Fetus: The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization.

Gene: A segment of DNA that contains instructions for the development of a persons physical traits and control of the processes in the body. The gene is the basic unit of heredity and can be passed from parent to child.

Genetic Counselor: A health care professional with special training in genetics who can provide expert advice about genetic disorders and prenatal testing.

Genetic Disorder: A disorder caused by a change in genes or chromosomes.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A procedure in which an egg is removed from a womans ovary, fertilized in a laboratory with the mans sperm, and then transferred to the womans uterus to achieve a pregnancy.

Mutation: A change in a gene that can be passed from parent to child.

Obstetric Care Provider: A health care professional who cares for a woman during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These professionals include obstetrician gynecologists (ob-gyns), certified nursemidwives (CNMs), maternalfetal medicine specialists (MFMs), and family practice doctors with experience in maternal care.

ObstetricianGynecologist (Ob-Gyn): A doctor with special training and education in womens health.

Placenta: An organ that provides nutrients to and takes waste away from the fetus.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing: A type of genetic testing that can be done during in vitro fertilization. Tests are done on the fertilized egg before it is transferred to the uterus.

Sperm: A cell made in the male testicles that can fertilize a female egg.

See more here:

Cystic Fibrosis: Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis | ACOG

CF Moto to launch a retro mini bike, will compete with Honda Grom in the international markets, all we know so far  DNP INDIA

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CF Moto to launch a retro mini bike, will compete with Honda Grom in the international markets, all we know so far - DNP INDIA