Cystic Fibrosis

Adult cystic fibrosis

01/08/2009

Question:

My mother is 72 and was just diagnosed with CF. She has been battling bronchitis and pneumonia all this last fall and into the winter. What is prognosis?

Answer:

I cannot give you a prognosis, but can make a few general comments. First, diagnosis at 72 years old suggests relatively mild CF disease. With the diagnosis made, appropriate treatment becomes much more likely than without a correct diagnosis. Improved and continued good health will also almost certainly be better accomplished by a certified CF center team than by a non-CF doctor, so I would suggest that she seek attention at the nearest certified CF adult care center, which can be found at the http://www.cff.org/ website.
I wish you and her the best of luck.

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Response by:

John S. Heintz, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center
Pulmonary Medicine
Department of Pediatrics (Nationwide Children's Hospital)
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University