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Questions and Answers
What is a potential complication of advanced cystic fibrosis that can lead to pulmonary hypertension?
What is a potential complication of advanced cystic fibrosis that can lead to pulmonary hypertension?
Which of the following symptoms may indicate liver disease in a patient with cystic fibrosis?
Which of the following symptoms may indicate liver disease in a patient with cystic fibrosis?
What is a common manifestation of cystic fibrosis related to endocrine dysfunction?
What is a common manifestation of cystic fibrosis related to endocrine dysfunction?
What physical examination finding is associated with cystic fibrosis?
What physical examination finding is associated with cystic fibrosis?
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What genetic mutation is primarily responsible for dysfunctional CFTR protein in cystic fibrosis?
What genetic mutation is primarily responsible for dysfunctional CFTR protein in cystic fibrosis?
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How does CFTR protein function at the cellular level?
How does CFTR protein function at the cellular level?
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What is the primary method used for newborn screening to detect cystic fibrosis?
What is the primary method used for newborn screening to detect cystic fibrosis?
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What condition can result from the presence of obstructive azospermia in males with cystic fibrosis?
What condition can result from the presence of obstructive azospermia in males with cystic fibrosis?
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Which of the following CFTR classes is associated with no CFTR protein being produced?
Which of the following CFTR classes is associated with no CFTR protein being produced?
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What is a primary method used for monitoring lung function in patients?
What is a primary method used for monitoring lung function in patients?
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Which of the following is classified as a dietary supplement for cystic fibrosis patients?
Which of the following is classified as a dietary supplement for cystic fibrosis patients?
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What type of mutation is the F508del mutation categorized as?
What type of mutation is the F508del mutation categorized as?
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In Sanger Sequencing, what is the role of ddNTPs?
In Sanger Sequencing, what is the role of ddNTPs?
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Which of the following statements is true regarding CFTR mutations?
Which of the following statements is true regarding CFTR mutations?
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What is a common characteristic of Class III CFTR mutations?
What is a common characteristic of Class III CFTR mutations?
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Which dietary supplement is specifically noted for pancreatic dysfunction in cystic fibrosis?
Which dietary supplement is specifically noted for pancreatic dysfunction in cystic fibrosis?
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What is the first step in the Next Generation Sequencing process?
What is the first step in the Next Generation Sequencing process?
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Which method is employed by Illumina's NGS platforms?
Which method is employed by Illumina's NGS platforms?
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What is the primary advantage of NGS over Sanger sequencing?
What is the primary advantage of NGS over Sanger sequencing?
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In nanopore sequencing, how is the DNA moved through the protein pore?
In nanopore sequencing, how is the DNA moved through the protein pore?
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What is a key characteristic of third generation sequencing technologies?
What is a key characteristic of third generation sequencing technologies?
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During the sequencing by synthesis method, what happens once the correct base is incorporated?
During the sequencing by synthesis method, what happens once the correct base is incorporated?
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Which of the following is NOT a step in the nanopore sequencing procedure?
Which of the following is NOT a step in the nanopore sequencing procedure?
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What role does DNA polymerase play in the NGS process?
What role does DNA polymerase play in the NGS process?
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What result from a sweat test definitively indicates cystic fibrosis (CF)?
What result from a sweat test definitively indicates cystic fibrosis (CF)?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of nasal potential difference (NPD) testing?
Which of the following is a characteristic of nasal potential difference (NPD) testing?
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What is the main purpose of using hypertonic saline in CF management?
What is the main purpose of using hypertonic saline in CF management?
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Which of the following antibiotics is specifically indicated for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections?
Which of the following antibiotics is specifically indicated for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections?
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Which CFTR modulator is indicated for patients aged 6 and up with the G551D mutation?
Which CFTR modulator is indicated for patients aged 6 and up with the G551D mutation?
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What treatment is commonly used for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in CF patients?
What treatment is commonly used for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in CF patients?
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What role does Mannitol (Bronchitol) play in the management of CF?
What role does Mannitol (Bronchitol) play in the management of CF?
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Which treatment option would NOT be used for chronic bacterial infections in CF?
Which treatment option would NOT be used for chronic bacterial infections in CF?
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What is the primary genetic cause of cystic fibrosis?
What is the primary genetic cause of cystic fibrosis?
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Which of the following is a common respiratory symptom of cystic fibrosis exacerbation?
Which of the following is a common respiratory symptom of cystic fibrosis exacerbation?
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Which of these organisms is associated with increased susceptibility to lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients?
Which of these organisms is associated with increased susceptibility to lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients?
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What is a significant gastroenterological complication often seen in patients with cystic fibrosis?
What is a significant gastroenterological complication often seen in patients with cystic fibrosis?
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Which of the following symptoms indicates a failure to thrive in young children with cystic fibrosis?
Which of the following symptoms indicates a failure to thrive in young children with cystic fibrosis?
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What type of diabetes is specifically related to cystic fibrosis?
What type of diabetes is specifically related to cystic fibrosis?
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Which respiratory condition may arise as a non-infectious complication of cystic fibrosis?
Which respiratory condition may arise as a non-infectious complication of cystic fibrosis?
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What is a key characteristic of the F508del mutation related to cystic fibrosis?
What is a key characteristic of the F508del mutation related to cystic fibrosis?
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Study Notes
Cystic Fibrosis
- Progressive, autosomal recessive genetic disorder
- Primarily affects the lungs and pancreas
- Caused by mutations in the CFTR gene leading to dysfunctional CFTR protein
- F508del mutation is the most common cause of cystic fibrosis
Symptoms
-
Respiratory Issues:
- Chronic inflammation and bronchial wall thickening
- Air trapping leading to bronchiectasis
- Chronic cough, increased sputum production, shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest pain
- Chronic rhinosinusitis
- Respiratory failure is the main cause of death in CF patients
-
Gastrointestinal Issues:
- Pancreatic insufficiency: Difficulty maintaining weight, bowel issues, and fatty infiltration of the pancreas
- Large Bowel: Not mentioned in the text.
- Small Bowel: Not mentioned in the text.
- Upper GI: Not mentioned in the text
-
Increased susceptibility to lung infections:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
- Burkholderia cepacia complex
- Atypical mycobacteria
- Aspergillus
- Candida
Clinical Manifestations
-
Childhood Presentation:
- Failure to thrive
- Recurrent chest infections
- Meconium ileus
- Failure to reach growth milestones
-
Adult Symptoms:
- Respiratory: Pan-bronchiectasis, decreased mucociliary clearance, obstructive airway disease, respiratory failure
- Gastrointestinal: Pancreatic insufficiency, malabsorption, GORD, rectal prolapse, DIOS
- Other: CF-related diabetes, liver disease, osteoporosis, nasal polyps, infertility in males (CBAVD)
CF Exacerbation Symptoms
- Increased productive cough
- Increased sputum volume, purulence, and viscosity
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Haemoptysis (blood in sputum)
- Nasal and sinus symptoms
- Duration of onset: few days to a couple of weeks
- Fever not always present
CF Non-Infectious Respiratory Complications
- Haemoptysis (blood in sputum)
- Pneumothorax (pleuradiesis contraindicated)
- Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: wheezing, unresponsive to antibiotics, thick mucus plugs, raised IgE
- Atelectasis: due to mucus plugging; can lead to acute shortness of breath and hypoxia
- Advanced disease: Type II Respiratory failure, Pulmonary hypertension with Cor Pulmonale
Other Manifestations
- Liver Disease: Focal biliary cirrhosis, fatty infiltration, can lead to cirrhosis with splenomegaly, and varices; symptoms include jaundice, itch, abdominal pain, hematemesis
- CF-related diabetes: Polyuria, polydipsia, lack of energy, failure to gain weight
- Low bone mineral density/ osteoporosis: Usually asymptomatic, significance unknown, no increase in incidence of fractures
- Growth retardation/ Delayed puberty:
- Obstructive azospermia: Functional sterility in males (due to CAVBD)
- CF Renal disease: Distinct entity, compounded by aminoglycoside use, and diabetes
Physical Examination Findings
- General Inspection: Low BMI, delayed puberty, clubbing, cyanosis, oxygen dependence, tremor, tachypnea, accessory muscle use
- Chest: Hyperinflation, portacath, crepitations, wheezing
- Abdomen: Hepatosplenomegaly, PEG tube
CFTR Gene Mutations
- CFTR gene mutations result in production of dysfunctional CFTR protein
- Over 2000 mutations identified.
- CFTR mutations are categorized into seven classes based on structural and functional consequences:
- Class I: No CFTR protein is produced.
- Class II: Defective protein processing.
- Class III: Defective gating.
- Class IV: Reduced ion conductance.
- Class V: Reduced protein synthesis.
- Class VI: Decreased CFTR stability at the membrane.
- Class VII: No mRNA production.
CFTR Protein
- Member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily
- Located at the apical membrane of polarized epithelial cells
- Cyclic AMP-regulated (phosphorylated by protein kinase A)
- Acts as a chloride ion channel
- Moves Cl- from inside the cell to outside the cell, attracting a layer of water
- The water layer allows cilia on lung cells to move and sweep mucus out of the airways
CFTR Protein Mutations
- Reduced chloride movement to the cell surface
- Decreased volume and increased hyper-viscosity of mucosal secretions
Diagnosing Cystic Fibrosis
-
Newborn screening (NBS):
- Heel prick/Guthrie test
- IRT test measures immunoreactive trypsinogen levels in the blood; elevated levels indicate potential CF due to blocked pancreatic ducts.
- If IRT is raised, confirmation is done through genetic testing for common CF gene mutations: A diagnosis of CF is confirmed if two mutations are identified.
- Sweat test:
-
60mmol/L indicates CF
- 30-59mmol/L is inconclusive
- <40 and >60 require a repeat test
-
-
60 mEq/L are considered abnormal.
- If genetic and sweat test are inconclusive:
- Nasal potential difference (NPD): Assess CFTR protein function by evaluating ion movement (Cl-).
- Intestinal current measurements (ICM): Assess chloride ion transport across rectal or colonic biopsies in vitro.
Management
-
Hydrators and Mucolytics:
- Hypertonic saline (3%-7%) 2-3x/day: Hydrate and thin mucus in the airways.
- Pulmozyme (Dornase Alpha): Recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I; breaks down DNA in mucus, reducing viscosity. Nebulized 1x/day.
- Mannitol (Bronchitol): Osmotic agent; draws water into airways, thinning and clearing mucus. 2x/day.
- Inhaled/ Nebulized bronchodilators: Salbutamol, Ipratropium
-
Anti-inflammatories: Not mentioned in the text.
-
Antibiotics for Chronic Bacterial Infections:
-
IV antibiotics (2 weeks/2 agents):
- H. influenza, S. aureus
- P. aeruginosa: Tobramcyin + anti-pseudomonal semi-synthetic penicillin or 3rd generation cephalosporin or carbapenem.
- Aspergillus: Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis; Daily oral prednisolone or Monthly iv Methylprednisolone ± oral Itraconozole (12-18 months).
- Stenotrophomonas: Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim (Septrin)
- MRSA: Vancomycin or Linezolid. If flucloxacillin is not effective, use vancomycin.
-
IV antibiotics (2 weeks/2 agents):
-
CFTR Modulators (Precision Medicine): Improve function at the cell membrane.
- Ivacaftor/Kalydeco: Patients aged 6 and up with one copy of the G551D mutation, a class III (gating) mutation.
- Help with protein folding and trafficking within the cell: Lumacaftor and Tezacaftor.
- Orkambi: Lumacaftor (corrector) + Ivacaftor (potentiator; for homozygous F508del)
- Symkevi: Tezacaftor (corrector) + Ivacaftor (potentiator; for homozygous F508del)
- Trikafta: Combination of two correctors (Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor) and a potentiator (Ivacaftor) for F508del mutation.
-
Physical Therapies: Airway clearance techniques, physiotherapy.
-
Dietary Supplements: Pancreatic enzymes, fat-soluble vitamins, high-fat diet.
- Pancreatic enzyme tablets: Creon
- Vitamin ADEK: Aquadek
- Proton pump inhibitors:
- Oral nutritional supplements:
- PEG feeds: Perative, Nutrison
-
Liver Disease: Ursofalk
Monitoring and Outpatient Care
- Regular spirometry (FEV1), sputum culture, liver ultrasound, bone densitometry, chest X-ray, and annual measurements (OGTT, vitamin levels, liver function tests).
Outcomes
- CF-related outcomes predicted by lung function (FEV1), BMI, exacerbation frequency, and infection control.
- Transplantation may be considered in severe cases.
Common Mutations
- Mutations in the CFTR gene lead to dysfunctional CFTR protein.
- Over 2000 mutations identified.
Novel Genomics
- Sanger Sequencing (First Generation): Uses chain-termination PCR; efficient for smaller sequences.
-
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)/ Massively parallel sequencing/ Deep sequencing: More efficient than Sanger for large-scale genomic sequencing. Short-read sequencing with high accuracy but difficulty in covering repetitive genomic regions.
- Illumina (75-300bp): Uses a reversible termination sequencing method (sequencing by synthesis, reversible termination, optical detection).
-
Third Generation Sequencing: A subset of NGS technologies that directly sequence single molecules without amplification; focus on long-read sequencing for complex genomic regions like repetitive sequences.
- Nanopore and PacBio sequencing:
Nanopore Sequencing
- Uses a protein pore and electrical disturbances to sequence DNA.
- Individual nucleotides modify electrical current.
- Can sequence both DNA and RNA.
5mC (5-Methylcytosine)
- 5mC is a form of DNA methylation in which a methyl group is attached to the 5th carbon atom of cytosine.
- Procedure: 1. Extract DNA from a tissue sample. 2. End prep and nick repair. 3. Add sequencing adapters and motor proteins. 4. Load the library onto a flow cell.
- Principle: Protein pore embedded in a membrane; DNA is negatively charged; apply a current to the space beneath the pore; as DNA passes through the pore, it creates an electrical disturbance.
5hmC (5-Hydroxymethylcytosine)
- A modified form of cytosine that plays a significant role in epigenetic regulation and cellular signaling.
- It is an intermediate in the demethylation pathway, where it is converted from 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and then to cytosine.
5mA (5-Methylcytosine with N6-methyladenine)
- A type of DNA methylation that is found in various organisms which plays a role in regulating gene expression and DNA replication.
- The presence of 5mA is associated with repressive chromatin states and can influence DNA strand separation during replication - important for development- related functions.
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Description
Test your knowledge on cystic fibrosis, a progressive genetic disorder that affects the lungs and pancreas. This quiz covers the causes, symptoms, and complications associated with the condition. Challenge yourself and learn more about the F508del mutation and its impact on patients.