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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staff
Respiratory complications
Frequent complications of cystic fibrosis are chronic respiratory infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis — an abnormal dilation of the walls of the bronchial tubes that makes it more difficult to clear your airways. Asthma can result from chronic inflammation of the bronchial lining.
Respiratory infections are common because thick mucus blocks the airways and provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. The most common infective agent in people with cystic fibrosis is Pseudomonas aeruginosa — a bacterium that can cause increased inflammation of the respiratory tract. Although antibiotics can decrease the frequency and severity of attacks, the bacteria are never completely eradicated from the airways and the lungs. On the other hand, P. aeruginosa rarely causes pulmonary infections in healthy people and isn't considered contagious.
People with cystic fibrosis may also develop bleeding from the lungs causing them to cough up blood (hemoptysis), respiratory failure or collapsed lung (pneumothorax) — a condition in which lung air leaks into the chest cavity through a small hole that forms in the lung's outer layer. Lung disease eventually may cause the lower right chamber (right ventricle) of the heart to fail. Ultimately, complications from lung problems prove fatal for many people with cystic fibrosis.
Nutritional complications
In addition, cystic fibrosis makes you prone to chronic diarrhea and severe nutritional deficiencies. That's because thick secretions obstruct the ducts in your pancreas, preventing enzymes that digest fats and proteins from reaching your intestines. These secretions also prevent your body from absorbing the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Cystic fibrosis affects the pancreas and because the pancreas controls the level of sugar in your blood, up to one in five people with cystic fibrosis may develop cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. In addition, the bile duct, the duct that carries bile from your liver and gallbladder to your small intestine, may become blocked and inflamed, leading to liver problems, such as cirrhosis.
Reproductive complications
Cystic fibrosis also affects the reproductive system. Because thick secretions often block the tube connecting the testes and prostate gland (vas deferens), many men with cystic fibrosis are infertile. But certain fertility methods and surgical procedures may sometimes make it possible for men with cystic fibrosis to become fathers.
Although women with cystic fibrosis may be less fertile than other women, it's possible for them to conceive and to have successful pregnancies. Still, pregnancy can worsen the signs and symptoms of cystic fibrosis, so be sure to discuss the possible risks with your doctor. Using oral contraceptives also can sometimes aggravate certain symptoms of cystic fibrosis. Talk to your doctor about your birth control options.
