Drug management of noninfective complications of cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the commonest lethal hereditary disease in Caucasians. The disease involves a gene mutation located at the long arm of chromosome 7, and more than 300 mutations have been identified. CF is a systemic illness affecting the upper respiratory tract and airways, sweat and salivary glands, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, liver and male reproductive system. The course is highly variable depending on the specific molecular abnormalities in the mutant gene. The current approach to therapy now involves the use of: (i) chest physiotherapy; (ii) bronchodilators when there is evidence of airways hyperreactivity; (iii) oral and intravenous antibiotics for acute pulmonary exacerbations and aerosolised antibiotics for prevention; (iv) recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I (dornase alfa) to promote airways clearance; (v) amiloride to improve sputum viscosity; (vi) pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy along with nutritional support and supplements; (vi) vitamins; and (vii) ursodeoxycholic acid in selected patients. The use of antiprotease and anti-inflammatory agents has been shown to be useful in preventing the damage secondary to chronic lung infection. In patients with severely impaired lung function, lung transplantations have been performed with good results. Finally, it seems probable that lung disease in CF patients will be ameliorated or prevented in the future with early gene therapy, using vectors such as recombinant adenoviruses, adeno-associated virus, lipofection or retrovirus. However, this require extensive basic and clinical research.