Gut symptoms in Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is most commonly associated with respiratory disease which is the leading cause of death in these patients. Many people with CF, however, experience many other problems such as  gut symptoms including pain and bloating. 

Our James Lind Alliance work ranked gastrointestinal symptoms as the second priority after reducing treatment burden and we have just published the results of a follow on survey which explored GI symptoms from the perspective of both patients and healthcare professionals.

The survey was promoted online via Twitter and was completed by 276 respondents (60% lay people; 40% healthcare professionals).

Our survey has shown that GI symptoms among our participants are prevalent and intrude on daily lives of people with CF. There is a need for well-designed clinical studies to provide better evidence for management of GI symptoms and complications.

How can we relieve gastrointestinal symptoms in people with cystic fibrosis? An international qualitative survey.