Complications of Cystic Fibrosis

About complications: Complications of Cystic Fibrosis are secondary conditions, symptoms, or other disorders that are caused by Cystic Fibrosis. In many cases the distinction between symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis and complications of Cystic Fibrosis is unclear or arbitrary.

Complications list for Cystic Fibrosis: The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Cystic Fibrosis includes:

Respiratory system complications (see Respiratory symptoms)
- Recurrent airway infections
- Recurrent lung infections
- Sinusitis
- Lung fibrosis
- Recurrent pseudomonas bacteria infection
- Staphylococcus aureus bacteria infection
- Respiratory failure
- Pneumothorax
- Hemoptysis (coughing blood) (see Coughing blood)
- Emphysema
- Cor pulmonale - a heart problem caused by respiratory problems.
Digestive system problems (see Digestive symptoms) - CF also affects the digestive system including pancreas and liver.
- Pancreas damage (see Pancreas symptoms)
- Blocked pancreas ducts (see Pancreas symptoms)
- Pancreatic insufficiency (see Pancreas symptoms)
- Malabsorption
- Pancreatitis
- Diabetes - from pancreas damage.
- Bile duct blockage
- Biliary cirrhosis
- Meconium ileus - in newborns meconium can block the small intestine
- Liver disease
- Gallstones
- Abdominal pain (type of Pain)
- Gassiness (see Flatulence)
- Rectal prolapse
Fertility complications
- Infertility - most CF men and some CF women; successful pregnancy can be possible for some patients.
- Undeveloped vas deferens
- Abnormal cervical mucus
- Menstrual irregularity
Sweat-related complications (see Sweat symptoms)
- Mineral imbalance
- Abnormal heart rhythms (see Heart rhythm symptoms)
- Arrhytmhias
- Shock
Other complications
- Nasal polyps
- Finger clubbing
- Toe clubbing (see Toe symptoms)

Complications of Cystic Fibrosis: CF can cause various other medical problems. These include sinusitis (inflammation of the nasal sinuses, which are cavities in the skull behind, above, and on both sides of the nose), nasal polyps (fleshy growths inside the nose), clubbing (rounding and enlargement of fingers and toes), pneumothorax (rupture of lung tissue and trapping of air between the lung and the chest wall), hemoptysis (coughing of blood), cor pulmonale (enlargement of the right side of the heart), abdominal pain and discomfort, gassiness (too much gas in the intestine), and rectal prolapse (protrusion of the rectum through the anus). Liver disease, diabetes, inflammation of the pancreas, and gallstones also occur in some people with CF. ¹

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from NHLBI, Facts About Cystic Fibrosis: NHLBI

Last revision: May 26, 2003

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