Anti-inflammatory approaches to the treatment of cystic fibrosis lung disease: past, present and future.

Inflammation has been increasingly recognized as a major factor in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The use of anti-inflammatory medications to slow pulmonary deterioration has been the focus of much research over the past two decades. Oral corticosteroids are effective, but are associated with significant adverse effects when used long-term. Inhaled corticosteroids are being studied as an alternative to systemic steroids. High-dose ibuprofen has also been shown to be of benefit in CF patients but has not been widely used. A variety of other non-specific anti-inflammatory agents, as well as antioxidants and antiproteinases, have been evaluated or are currently under investigation for use in CF. At present, the anti-inflammatory therapies used to treat CF lung disease are limited. There is hope that agents being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials will prove more effective than those already tested and that future research will provide additional anti-inflammatory therapies for CF airway disease.