Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine

Heather G Ahlgren

Publications

• Research Article
  C-Reactive Protein in Stable Cystic Fibrosis: An Additional Indicator of Clinical Disease Activity and Risk of Future Pulmonary Exacerbations
  Author(s): Elias Matouk, Dao Nguyen, Andrea Benedetti, Joanie Bernier, James Gruber, Jennifer Landry, Simon Rousseau, Heather G Ahlgren, Larry C Lands, Gabriella Wojewodka and Danuta RadziochElias Matouk, Dao Nguyen, Andrea Benedetti, Joanie Bernier, James Gruber, Jennifer Landry, Simon Rousseau, Heather G Ahlgren, Larry C Lands, Gabriella Wojewodka and Danuta Radzioch
  
  Introduction: In stable adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, we assessed the role of baseline high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) on CF clinical variables and frequency of intravenous (IV) treated pulmonary exacerbations (PExs) 1-year post- baseline. Methods: We recruited 51 clinically stable CF patients from our Adult CF Center. We incorporated collected parameters into Matouk CF clinical score and CF questionnaire-revised quality of life score (QOL). We used the clinical minus complications subscores as a clinical disease activity score (CDAS). We dichotomized our patients according to the cohort median baseline hs-CRP of 5.2 mg/L. Results: Patients in the high hs-CRP group (≥ 5.2 mg/L) demonstrated worse CDAS (r=0.67, p=0.0001) and QOL scores (r=0.57, p=0.0017) at a given FEV1 % predicted. In both hs-CRP groups, prior-year IV-treated PExs and baseline C.. Read More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2161-105X.1000375

  Abstract PDF