Background: In recent years, patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) conductance regulator (CFTR) variant poly(T) sequences have been increasingly reported with a wide spectrum of clinical severity. We describe the long-term clinical outcomes and progression to a CF diagnosis over time in a large Italian cohort of patients carrying the CFTR F508del/5T;TG12 genotype.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of subjects from 10 CF centres in Italy with the F508del/5T;TG12 genotype was performed. Demographic, clinical, microbiological, and biochemical data, as well as information about the follow-ups and complications of the enroled patients, were collected.
Results: A total of 129 subjects (54 females; median age: 15.0 years, range: 0-58 years; 59 older than 18 years) were included. In terms of initial diagnoses, 30 were CF (23.3%), 41 were CFTR-related disorder (CFTR-RD) (31.7%), and 58 were CF transmembrane conductance regulator-related metabolic syndrome/cystic fibrosis screen positive, inconclusive diagnosis (CRMS/CFSPID) (45.0%). After a median follow-up of 6.7 years (range 0.2-25 years), 15 patients progressed to CF, bringing the total number of CF diagnoses to 45/129 (34.9%). Most of these patients had mild lung diseases with pancreatic sufficiency and a low prevalence of CF-related complications.
Conclusions: At the end of the study, 34.9% of subjects with the CFTR F508del/5T;TG12 genotype were diagnosed with CF. We suggest including patients with the F508del/5T;TG12 genotype in long-term follow-ups.
Keywords: CBAVD; CFTR-RD; CRMS/CFSPID; FEV1; Outcomes; Spirometry.
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