Cystic Fibrosis: Brazilian ENT Experience

Most published studies about Cystic Fibrosis (CF) are European or North American. There are still few publications about the characteristics of fibrocystic populations in developing countries. The incidence of cystic fibrosis (CF) in Brazil varies among different regions (1 : 10,000 in Minas Gerais, 1 : 9,500 in Paraná, 1 : 8,700 in Santa Catarina, and 1 : 1600 in Rio Grande do Sul). The prevalence of the DF508 mutation also varies according to population: 33% in Sao Paulo, 49% in Rio Grande do Sul, 27% in Santa Catarina, and 52% in Minas Gerais. Cough and nasal obstruction are the most common symptoms. The variation in nasal polyposis prevalence may be explained by population genotypic characteristics in a country that spans a continent. Findings on nasal endoscopy and computed tomography (CT) have better correlation than do this information compared with surgical and clinical history. Microbiologic studies suggest a high level of early contamination of the airways. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs in these patients as a result of ototoxic antibiotics. The data compiled in this paper is useful, but also lead to the general agreement that more research would be welcome due to the unique characteristics of this country.