Inhaling a hypertonic saline solution can help babies with cystic fibrosis (cystic fibrosis) to breathe better, concludes this team from the University of Heidelberg, after monitoring 40 affected infants. Valuable data presented in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM) which confirms at one year, in treated babies, a better pulmonary clearance index, greater weight gain as well as growth (in height ) higher.
This randomized controlled trial conducted in Germany, which demonstrates that "preventive inhalation of a hypertonic saline solution in infants with cystic fibrosis" is beneficial to the health of babies, confirms the conclusions of previous studies, carried out on the mice and also leading, with prevention by hypertonic saline solution, to a reduction in the clogging of the mucous membranes and therefore in the risk of obstruction of the respiratory tract and of infection. Other studies have also suggested that hypertonic saline solution is beneficial for older infants and children with cystic fibrosis.
"Several studies worldwide of infants and preschoolers with cystic fibrosis, identified by newborn screening, have found that fibrosis begins in the first months of life, leaving little room for for preventive therapeutic interventions,” recalls lead author Dr. Stahl, pulmonologist and director of the Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research at the University of Heidelberg. “While lung disease is the single most important contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis, prevention, or at least the ability to delay the onset and progression of fibrous lung disease may be a therapeutic strategy. promising".
Towards a better pulmonary clearance index: the researchers followed 40 infants, aged on average 3 months at the time of inclusion and suffering from cystic fibrosis. The babies were randomly assigned to receive either hypertonic saline (saline with a salt concentration of 6%) or isotonic saline (0.9%) and then followed for 12 months. Researchers tested whether lung clearance index and chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be performed safely in these infants, with lung clearance index detecting these respiratory changes and MRI detecting early abnormalities of lung structure. The test shows that:
- at one year, infants who received the hypertonic saline solution have a better pulmonary clearance index, have gained much more weight, i.e. 500 grams more on average than babies, and also taller, i.e. 1.5 centimeters more .
These children were only followed for one year. Therefore, it is still unknown whether this hypertonic saline treatment is beneficial in the long term. But the strategy is promising. In addition, it is one of the first studies carried out in very young children with cystic fibrosis. In short, a sufficient basis for deciding to pursue research on a larger number of children and over a longer period.