Adult Cystic Fibrosis Care

Another exciting new development is the expansion of the Section to include an adult cystic fibrosis (CF) program. CF was previously considered to be a disease of childhood. With improving nutritional and other medical support, however, the median survival of CF patients is now 32 years and continuing to rise. Despite this, pulmonary disease remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality for these patients. Dr. John McArdle (Pulmonary Critical Care) and Dr. Caroline Kim (MedPeds) have worked to transition pediatric CF patients to adult inpatient and outpatient care. To accomplish this, a multidisciplinary team has been established that includes CF-trained nurses, respiratory therapists, dieticians, social workers and physicians. It is expected that this program will provide optimal medical care to this cohort of patients, create new educational opportunities for trainees and, ultimately, open new avenues of research.