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Rectal Organoid Morphology Analysis (ROMA): A Diagnostic Assay in Cystic Fibrosis
Published on: June 10, 2022
Gender gap in cystic fibrosis mortality
M Rosenfeld1, R Davis, S FitzSimmons
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
American Journal of Epidemiology
|May 1, 1997
Summary
In a large cystic fibrosis study, females aged 1-20 years had a 60% higher mortality risk than males. This survival gap in cystic fibrosis patients was not explained by known risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Pulmonology
- Genetics and Disease
Background:
- Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder affecting multiple organs, primarily the lungs and digestive system.
- Previous studies suggested potential survival differences between genders in CF, but comprehensive data were lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct the largest-ever study on survival rates in cystic fibrosis patients in the United States.
- To compare age-specific mortality rates between males and females with CF.
- To identify potential risk factors contributing to gender-related survival differences.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large cohort (n=21,047) of US cystic fibrosis patients from 1988-1992.
- Utilized Cox proportional hazards regression to analyze mortality rates and risk factors.
- Adjusted for various clinical parameters including nutritional status, pulmonary function, and microbiology.
Main Results:
- Females aged 1-20 years exhibited a 60% higher mortality risk compared to males (RR=1.6).
- Median survival was 25.3 years for females versus 28.4 years for males.
- The observed gender disparity in survival could not be explained by nutritional status, pulmonary function, microbiology, pancreatic insufficiency, age at diagnosis, mode of presentation, or race.
Conclusions:
- A significant survival disadvantage exists for females with cystic fibrosis between the ages of 1 and 20.
- This "gender gap" in survival remains unexplained by a comprehensive set of known clinical and demographic risk factors.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving poorer female survival in this age group.
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