Table 1

Characteristics of CF and healthy controls infants with paired lung function at 3 months and 1 year

CF (n=72)Controls (n=44)Δ (95% CI) CF– controls
Male, n (%)34 (47)21 (48)−1% (−19 to 18)
Gestational age, weeks39.1 (1.4)40.3 (1.1)−1.1 (−1.6 to −0.6)
Birth weight, z-score*−0.64 (0.84)0.12 (0.81)−0.76 (−1.07 to −0.45)
Birth weight below 10th percentile*, n (%)13 (18)2 (5)14% (1 to 24)
White mother, n (%)61 (85)38 (86)−2% (−14 to 13)
Maternal smoking during pregnancy, n (%)8 (11)3 (7)4% (−8 to 15)
Current maternal smoking†, n (%)9 (13)5 (11)1% (−13 to 13)
Maternal asthma, n (%)14 (19)8 (18)1% (−14 to 15)
Cystic fibrosis infants only
 Age at diagnosis, postnatal age (weeks)3.9 (1.7)
 CFTR genotype (classes I–III)‡59 (82%)
 Presented with meconium ileus7 (10%)
 Pancreatic sufficient5 (7%)
Respiratory symptoms ever prior to 1 year PFTs
 Wheeze, physician diagnosed24 (33%)
 Crackles, physician diagnosed6 (8%)
 Cough within 3 weeks of 1-year PFT15 (21%)
Bacterial growth on cough swab, ever§ prior to1 year PFTs
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PsA25 (35%)
 Other significant bacterial growth**17 (24%)
 No growth††30 (42%)
Additional treatment‡‡ prior to 1 year PFTs
 rhDNase6 (8%)
 Intravenous antibiotics, number of courses0 (0; 3)§§
 GERD treatment38 (53%)
  • Data shown as mean (SD) for continuous and n (%) for categorical variables unless otherwise stated.

  • *Calculated according to Cole et al.13

  • †Objectively validated by the analysis of cotinine levels.23

  • ‡10% were classes IV–V and 8% unknown (or not classified).

  • §Swabs collected routinely in clinic at least every 2 months, prior to PFT and also when symptomatic.

  • ¶Definition of colonisation according to Lee et al.24 Only 1 infant had chronic PsA.

  • **Significant bacterial infection with no previous PsA ever included 12 (17%) with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus, 14 (19%) with Haemophilus Influenzae, 3 (4%) with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, 2 (3%) with Achromobacter xylosidans, 3 (4%) with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and 2 (3%) with Aspergillus fumigatus.

  • ††Included those with no growth, upper respiratory tract flora or isolated E Coli only.

  • ‡‡In addition to the prophylactic flucloxacillin prescribed for all CF NBS infants from diagnosis.

  • §§Median (range).

  • Δ, mean difference between groups; CF, cystic fibrosis; GERD, Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, n, number; NBS, newborn screened; PFT, pulmonary function test.