Publication
Title
Early referral to cystic fibrosis specialist centre impacts on respiratory outcome
Author
Abstract
Background Published studies concerning the impact of specialist care on lung disease in cystic fibrosis remain limited and most are either biased due to comparison with historical controls and/or underpowered. Methods In this retrospective multicentric study, data from all CF children fulfilling the following criteria were collected: 1) Age 6¨C< 18 at the end of 2003; 2) diagnosis before 8 y; 3) follow-up in an accredited CF Belgian centre; 4) at least 1 spirometry and respiratory culture available for 2003. Group A included children referred ¡Ý 2 years after the diagnosis. Patients from Group A were then matched with a single early referred patient on the basis of 2 criteria: same centre, as closest age as possible (Group B). Results Data from 217 children were collected (Group A: 67/217). Late referred patients had a lower FEV1 (77.2% ¡À 22.4 vs 86.7% pred. ¡À 19.4, p = 0.01) and a higher prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (38.6 vs 17.5%, p < 0.05). Conclusion In this population of CF children, a delay of 6.1 y (vs 0.1 y) between diagnosis and referral to a specialist clinic resulted in poorer respiratory outcome at age 13.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of cystic fibrosis. - Viborg
Publication
Viborg : 2009
ISSN
1569-1993
DOI
10.1016/J.JCF.2008.07.005
Volume/pages
8 :1 (2009) , p. 26-30
ISI
000262553800005
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.05.2009
Last edited 23.08.2022
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