Bronchopulmonary infection–colonization patterns in Spanish cystic fibrosis patients: Results from a national multicenter study

Juan de Dios Caballero, Rosa del Campo, Ana Royuela, Amparo Solé, Luis Máiz, Casilda Olveira, Esther Quintana-Gallego, Javier de Gracia, Marta Cobo, Elia Gómez G. de la Pedrosa, Antonio Oliver, Rafael Cantón, GEIFQ, The GEIFQ Study Group, Amparó Solé, Isidoro Cortell, Oscar Asensio, Gloria García, María Teresa Martínez, María Cols, Antonio Salcedo, Carlos Vázquez, Félix Baranda, Rosa Girón, Esther Quintana, Isabel Delgado, María Ángeles de Miguel, Marta García, Concepción Oliva, María Concepción Prados, María Isabel Barrio, María Dolores Pastor, Casilda Olveira, Javier de Gracia, Antonio Álvarez, Amparo Escribano, Silvia Castillo, Joan Figuerola, Bernat Togores, Antonio Oliver, Carla López, Juan de Dios Caballero, Marta Tato, Luis Máiz, Lucrecia Suárez, Rafael Cantón

Clinical and demographical knowledge on Spanish cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is incomplete as no national registry exists. CF-microbiology has not been studied at national level. The results of the first Spanish multicenter study on CF microbiology are presented. 24 CF-Units for adult (n=12) and pediatric (n=12) patients from 17 hospitals provided sputa and clinical data from 15 consecutive patients. Cultures and susceptibility testing were performed. Colonization impact on pulmonary function was assessed. 341 patients [mean (SD) age 21 (11) years, 180≥18years, mean (SD) FEV1=68 (25)%] were included. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was reported as chronic, intermittent or absent in 46%, 22% and 32% of patients, respectively. The annual prevalence was 62%. Positive P. aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus cultures were significantly associated with lower FEV1 (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively). The representative subset of the Spanish CF-population which has been clinically, demographically and microbiologically characterized will serve as a reference for future CF studies in Spain.