INTRODUCTION
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive inherited disease that
may damage the lungs caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis
transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene.1Another prevalent chronic childhood lung disease is
asthma.2 The fact that the clinical manifestations in
patients with asthma and CF are similar, may be associated with
difficulties in differential diagnosis and
treatment.3-5 It was reported for both the diseases
that genetic factors and environmental factors, including infections and
allergens, affected the lung function of the
patients.3,6 Relevant studies suggested that, in CF,
allergens may invade the respiratory epithelium as a result of
inflammation due to infections, allergic inflammation may cause the
patients predisposed to colonization of pathogens, and CFTR mutations
may turn individuals susceptible to atopy.3,7 The most
commonly reported allergen susceptibility among CF patients was
associated with mold, and especially Aspergillus fumigatus (AF).
AF may induce an allergic reaction, including allergic bronchopulmonary
aspergillosis (ABPA).8 Due to difficulties in
differential diagnosis regarding asthma and/or special conditions,
including comorbid ABPA, the asthma-specific treatments such as
corticosteroids and omalizumab can be used in patients with
CF.3-5
Allergen susceptibility and the prevalence of allergic diseases are
increasing across the world.9 Nevertheless, there are
only a limited number of studies, which investigated the allergen
susceptibility in patients with CF. Furthermore, the previous studies
provide inconsistent reports with regard to the relationships between
atopy and lung function.6,10 Accordingly, this study
aimed to investigate the prevalence of aeroallergen susceptibility in
patients followed-up with a CF diagnosis in our clinic and to
investigate the relationship between atopy and CF upon examination of
clinical and laboratory findings in susceptible patients.