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Cystic Fibrosis
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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common
fatal genetic disease in North America and among Caucasians. CF is a disease of the lungs primarily, although most CF patients also suffer digestive malabsorption. Individuals with CF require two or more
chest percussive therapy treatments a day, which may be performed manually or by a mechanical inflated vest. Patients also inhale medicated mists, similar to those taken by asthmatics. The daily regimen
also includes pancreatic enzymes to enhance digestion and vitamin supplements. About one in 20 newborns carries the defective CF gene. Today, more than half of newborns with CF can expect to live
to age 34 or beyond.
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Susanna’s sister, Lucy, age 17, has CF.
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Thirty thousand Americans have CF. One in 3,000
newborns is diagnosed with CF, resulting in approximately 1,000 new diagnoses in the United States each year. CF is a straightforward genetic disease: each parent must carry and pass on a single defective gene. The
cellular defect is an incapacity to transfer sodium and chloride properly in and out of the cell, resulting in the thick mucus which causes symptoms such as persistent coughing and failure to gain weight. Diagnosis
is made by a “sweat test,” which measures the cell’s salt-regulation.
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