In this letter to the editor, we report 82 persons with CF (PwCF) self-reported changes in mental and physical health and potential attribution with either the COVID-19 pandemic and the initiation elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI). Emerging evidence has shown an association with ETI and mental health adverse events. The close proximity of ETI FDA approval and prescribing in PwCF and the COVID-19 pandemic present a challenge in determining the cause of mental health decline. We report 33 (40%) of respondents felt that COVID-19 contributed to a worsening of either their anxiety, depression, or both and 7 (9%) of respondents felt that ETI contributed to a worsening in their anxiety, depression, or both. Eighteen (23%) of respondents felt that ETI had contributed to improvement their mental health. This letter highlights multiple factors that could be impacting mental health beyond ETI. As the COVID-19 pandemic is moving toward an endemic phase, future studies may have more success in deciphering ETI effects on mental health.
Keywords: COVID-19; cystic fibrosis; elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor; mental health.
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