Exploring the changing landscape of lung health and body mass index and their associations with health inequalities before and after the introduction of Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor therapy in adults with cystic fibrosis in the United Kingdom

Start date: 1 September 2026
End date: 28 February 2027
Funder: British Dietetic Association
Value: 40,261.48
Partners and collaborators: UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Primary investigator: Laura Caley
Co-investigators: Dr Christopher Hassall

Project title

Description

In the general population, those of lower social economic status (SES) have lower fibre intake and higher levels of obesity. Addressing health inequalities is a key priority. A lower SES has also been associated with worse health outcomes in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) in the UK. The recent introduction of Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor (ETI) therapy has improved clinical stability for the vast majority of pwCF. However, it has increased the number of pwCF with overweight and obese status. It is unknown if SES is linked with body mass index (BMI) or degree of improvement in lung health in the CF population taking ETI therapy. This project will provide up-to-date data on the prevalence of health inequalities in the UK CF population. This will support planning future targeted interventions to pwCF experiencing greater levels of health inequalities.

Funded by the British Dietetic Association General and Education Trust Fund. Data has been kindly provided by the UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

We thank people with cystic fibrosis and their families for consenting to their data being help in the UK CF Registry, and NHS teams in CF centres and clinics for the input of data into the Registry. The UK cystic fibrosis registry is supported and coordinated by the UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Impact

The anticipated impact of the project includes:

• Providing up-to-date re-characterisation of the nutritional and lung function status of adults with cystic fibrosis following ETI therapy within the UK.

• Providing evidence on the extent to which socioeconomic status influences lung health and nutritional status in adults with CF both pre to and post ETI therapy. This information will help us develop and direct resources to those most disadvantaged