Impact of the transition period from childhood to adulthood in cystic fibrosis
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the transition period from childhood to adulthood in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) being followed up in our reference center. The clinical, functional, inflammatory and microbiological parameters of all transition patients were compared two years before (T-2) and two years after the transfer (T+2) from paediatric to adult centers and further analysed according to whether the transition conditions were optimal or suboptimal. Twenty-eight patients were included. The mean age at the transfer visit was 19.5 years (±3.5). There were no deaths during the study period. Consultations were more numerous at T-2 [14.5 (±5.9) vs. 12.0 (±5.1), P<0.004]. Chronic colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more frequent at T+2 (46.4% vs. 17.9%, P=0.021). A progressive decrease in FEV1 and FVC was observed between T-2 and T+2. The number of pulmonary exacerbations was lower in the optimal transition group. The period of transition from childhood to adulthood in patients with CF appears to be associated with functional and microbiological changes.