UMass Chan Affiliations
Department of PediatricsDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2008-05-30Keywords
Cystic FibrosisHumans
Intensive Care
Lung Diseases
Lung Transplantation
Respiratory Insufficiency
Allergy and Immunology
Pediatrics
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Cystic fibrosis was previously thought to be a disease of childhood. With a better understanding of this condition along with improvements in therapy, patients with cystic fibrosis are now living well into adulthood. The aim of this article is to familiarize the intensive care unit physician with cystic fibrosis care, to discuss complications associated with cystic fibrosis specifically related to the intensive care unit, and to detail the current recommendations for the clinical management of the patient with cystic fibrosis. With advancing disease, the most severely affected organs are the lungs. Obstruction, infection, and inflammation contribute to the decline of pulmonary function, ultimately leading to death. Some patients may be eligible for lung transplantation, but choosing wisely will affect posttransplant survival. Because other organs are affected by the genetic defect and associated treatments, serious complications related to the liver, pancreas, intestines, and kidneys must be considered by the intensivist faced with a patient with cystic fibrosis. As practitioners, the fact that not all patients will survive and help our patients and families gracefully through the end-of-life process should be accepted.Source
J Intensive Care Med. 2008 May-Jun;23(3):159-77. Epub 2008 Apr 28. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1177/0885066608315679Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/43817PubMed ID
18443012Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1177/0885066608315679