The incidence of cystic fibrosis (CF) or CFTR dysfunction in China remains unclear due to the absence of a diagnosis and different genetic backgrounds. However, the CF case rate in western countries is relatively high, up to 1/2500. According to the limited statistics, the most common classic clinical symptom of Chinese CF patients is bronchiectasis. Other symptoms often seen in diseased western groups, such as pancreatic insufficiency, are rarely seen in Chinese patients. Thus, Chinese CF or CFTR dysfunction patients easily misdiagnose bronchiectasis, Chronic pneumonia, asthma, etc. Sweet test and CFTR-mutation screening are urgently needed for diagnosing and treating CF or CFTR dysfunction patients in Chinese adults with bronchiectasis. The study will focus on the change in CFTR function, genetic susceptibility factors, and disease progression to explore the incidence, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of cystic fibrosis, as well as the CFTR mutation spectrum in Chinese adults with bronchiectasis.
The study carries out Sweet Tests and CFTR-mutation screening to explore the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of cystic fibrosis, as well as the CFTR-mutation spectrum in Chinese adults with bronchiectasis. The study is multi-centered, prospective, non-interventional, and observational.