Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Trials

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the effects of a specific cystic fibrosis therapy (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Modulator Therapy) on chronic sinonasal disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: How does this therapy impact bacterial communities in the paranasal sinuses? How does this therapy impact inflammation in the paranasal sinuses and olfactory cleft? How does this therapy impact sense of smell and sinonasal disease burden in individuals with cystic fibrosis? How does this therapy impact disease-specific and general quality of life of individuals with cystic fibrosis? Participants will be asked to provide samples from their nose, complete testing of their sense of smell, and complete surveys about their quality of life and sense of smell in this study. Researchers will compare study results between patients who are currently undergoing Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Modulator Therapy and patients who are not currently undergoing therapy. Read Less

This is a multicenter, cross-sectional, cohort study which will collect contemporary sweat chloride (SC) values from approximately 5000 Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients prescribed and currently receiving commercially approved Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies. Read Less

The goal of this study is to learn about the role of estrogen and other hormones in bone development in adolescent and young adult women with cystic fibrosis (CF). The study has two main components, an observational study and a feasibility sub-study. The main questions it aims to answer are: How do different forms of hormonal contraception (e.g. birth control pill or other progesterone only methods) impact bone health? Is a study of transdermal estradiol (estrogen skin patches) feasible in this group? How does transdermal estradiol impact bone health and quality of life? Participants in the observational study will have three study visits (baseline, 6 months, and 12 months). At all visits, participants will have blood drawn and will complete questionnaires. At the baseline and 12 month visits, participants will additionally have x-rays and DXAs (bone density assessment). Between visits, participants will complete brief questionnaires. Researchers will compare various measurements over time to assess the impact of different forms of hormonal contraception. Participants in the feasibility sub-study will apply transdermal estradiol patches once weekly for 12 months, fill out brief quality-of-life surveys in between study visits, and complete blood draws and questionnaires at four study visits (baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months). The participants will also have x-rays and DXAs performed at the baseline and 12 month visits. Researchers will examine changes in various measurements to determine the impact of transdermal estradiol. Read Less

Nutrition and body composition, the amount of muscle and fat in the body, has a role in overall health. This study wants to learn more about how nutrition and body composition affects health outcomes like glucose tolerance and lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) who are ages 16-30 years old. 60 adolescents and young adults with CF will be recruited, and 30 volunteers without cystic fibrosis. A total of 40 of these study participants with CF will be asked to return for annual study visits for 2 years after the first visit. The long-term goal of this study is to use the information collected to make decisions about future nutrition monitoring and interventions which help maintain optimal health for individuals with CF. Read Less

To determine the treatment effect of triple-combination therapy in 6-8 year olds after presumed FDA approval, using rapid structural and functional pulmonary and abdominal MRI (UTE and 129Xe). Read Less

In this project, the investigators seek to understand the role of endothelial cells in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. This objective will be achieved by conducting a cross sectional clinical study to define the morphology of the pulmonary circulation across a range of lung function coupled with a mechanistic study of the effect of dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in endothelial cells on vasculogenesis, epithelial morphogenesis and epithelial CFTR function. Toward that end, the investigators propose the following hypotheses; (a). Loss of pulmonary small blood vessels begins early in the CF lung and worsens with disease progression, (b).VEGFR2-CFTR interactions happen at the plasma membrane of endothelial cells and is likely to be involved in transendothelial ion transport (c) impaired VEGFR2-CFTR interactions on the endothelial cells will have a profound effect on vasculogenesis, epithelial morphogenesis and ion transport. The first hypotheses will be tested through this clinical study. The following 2 hypotheses will be tested through laboratory studies that do not involve human subjects. Read Less

This study will be a prospective, observational study of patients who undergo endoscopic sinus surgery for cystic fibrosis-related chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Individuals who do not undergo surgery but are treated medically for CRS will also be enrolled to serve as a control group. Outcomes analyzed will include pulmonary, quality of life, and others. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to look at lung ventilation in people with cystic fibrosis over time (1 year) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with an inhaled contrast gas, and compare these measures to lung function assessed by spirometry and multiple breath nitrogen washout. This study also looks at how these measures change in response to a pulmonary exacerbation and treatment (if applicable). Over the span of a year, participants would be asked to complete 3-5 visits to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). with each lasting up to 4 hours. If participants do not have a pulmonary exacerbation during the year they would be asked to complete 3 visits (one at enrollment, a second roughly 2 weeks later, and the third approximately a year later). If participants do experience a CF pulmonary exacerbation they would complete 5 visits (Visit 1, Visit 2, two exacerbation visits with one before treatment and the other after, and Visit 3 at one year after Visit 1). Only one exacerbation per participant will be tracked. Participants are eligible for this study if they are 18 years old or older, have Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with mild lung disease (FEV1 >/= 60%), and can undergo an MRI. There are no known benefits for participating in this study. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the ability of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) to identify structural and functional physiological changes that occur with disease progression in cystic fibrosis patients. The investigators also aim to determine whether EIT can serve as an alternative for CT to identify regions of air trapping and consolidation, whether EIT can provide clinically useful information about response to treatment for an acute PE, and whether EIT can provide longitudinal information about structural changes in the lung. Read Less

Lung transplant is an option for treating end-stage lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). In the United States, more people with CF and low lung function die each year than undergo lung transplant. More than half of people with CF who die without a lung transplant were never referred for consideration. Patient preference not to undergo lung transplant may account for 25-40% of decisions to defer referral. Patients' health discussion networks function to support individuals in health related matters and may provide critical support during the lung transplant journey. Increasing awareness of lung transplant, and promoting the process of deliberation and utilization of social support, could reduce the number of people with CF who die without lung transplant. Additionally, the most common patient-endorsed barrier to lung transplant discussions is a worry about being a burden on family and friends after lung transplant. For lung transplant recipients with complex post-operative courses, low social support is associated with increased mortality. Additionally, adequate social support is a requirement at all lung transplant programs in the US. Investigators are interested in understanding how caregivers may benefit from using lung transplant educational resources and how caregivers prepare for having discussions with their loved ones and/or helping them make decisions about lung transplant as a treatment option for advanced CF. The purpose of this study is to test whether an investigator-designed research website compared to no caregiver intervention reduces caregiver burden (assessed with the Brief Assessment Scale for Caregivers, BASC), caregiver preparedness for lung transplant discussions, and caregiver lung transplant knowledge as an ancillary study in a multicenter RCT. Further, investigators will assess patient perceptions of caregiver support as measured by the Social Support Effectiveness Questionnaire (SSE-Q) and evaluate caregivers' willingness to provide support through semi-structured interviews in patient-caregiver dyads. Study involvement will span 6 months and study activities will involve the following: Three Zoom research sessions (15-90 minutes each) Survey assessments and an interview Access to a research website that contains educational resources about lung transplant Read Less

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of off-label CFTR modulators that may affect CFTR function in patients with CFTR mutations that are not currently approved for these drugs. Read Less

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease cause by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) manifesting in multiple organs, the most common cause of morbidity and mortality continues to be the pulmonary manifestation. CFTR dysfunction leads to reduced mucociliary clearance, impaired innate immune system function in the lungs (within the airway surface liquid [ASL] lining the epithelial barrier of the lungs) and reduced ASL hydration (stickier mucus). To try and help correct this underlying defect patients have been performing airway clearance for decades using different techniques (Percussion and postural drainage [P&PD], Positive expiratory pressure [PEP], Oscillatory positive expiratory pressure [OPEP], High-frequency chest compression [HFCC], exercise), inhaled mucolytics (Hypertonic Saline, Pulmozyme) and inhaled antibiotics. However, performing daily airway clearance can be a large burden on patients and their families with a median number of daily therapies around 7 and average time spent on therapies at almost 2 hours daily. This high treatment burden leads many patients to have reduced adherence to their regimens and multiple studies have shown around 20% of patients performing no daily airway clearance. Since the release of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy patients have experienced improvements in lung function measurements and imaging-based ventilation measurements, reduction in pulmonary exacerbations, and improvement in daily symptom scores. Over 80% of patients and their families and over 95% of clinicians in the United States support the idea of trials looking into the simplification of airway clearance regimens. Combining the inability of most patients to complete their daily regimens, patient and clinician interest in treatment simplification research, and the overwhelming cost of most inhaled medications in cystic fibrosis with the improvement in mucociliary transport and symptoms with highly effective modulator therapy suggests a research program aimed at reducing the treatment burden of daily airway clearance should be considered. The investigators propose the following: determine if there is additional benefit in continuous airway clearance regimens after starting Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor (ETI) and if so, is this benefit noticeable on pulmonary function testing and imaging. Read Less