Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40628572›Full record

ArticleJournal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society2025

Symptom factors and their clinical correlates among adults with cystic fibrosis.

Natalia Smirnova, Scott Gillespie, Jane Lowers, Andrew Jergel, Elisabeth P Dellon, Alexandre Cammarata-Mouchtouris, Anne Fitzpatrick, Dio Kavalieratos

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Article in Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Natalia SmirnovaDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Scott GillespiePediatrics Biostatistics Core, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Jane LowersDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Andrew JergelPediatrics Biostatistics Core, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Elisabeth P DellonDepartment of Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Alexandre Cammarata-MouchtourisDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Pediatrics Biostatistics Core, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Division of Pulmonology, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Anne FitzpatrickDivision of Pulmonology, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Dio KavalieratosDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: d.kavalieratos@emory.edu.

Funding

Advancing Symptom Science and Management in Cystic Fibrosis: Biological, Social, and Clinical MechanismsR01HL171735 · NHLBI · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Dionysios Kavalieratos · 2024 to 2026
$1.9M
NHLBI NIH HHS L30 HL170378NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL171735
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance (CFTR) modulator therapy that may dramatically alter the course of disease, many people living with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) experience co-occurring symptoms that may be interrelated and may synergistically degrade quality of life. We sought to identify symptom factors, or groups of correlated symptoms, connected by underlying latent variable(s). We then examined demographic and clinical characteristics associated with these groups among PwCF.

methodsUsing baseline data from a trial of specialist palliative care in PwCF, we assessed symptoms with the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-CF. We used exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis to identify and validate symptom factors. For each factor (using only the symptoms identified in the factor), we then created a binary variable (Symptom Factor Severity) that identified patients as Low versus High Severity, by mean splitting the sum of each patient's severity symptom scores for that factor. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between demographic and clinical characteristics with each split Symptom Factor Severity score.

resultsAmong 262 participants, median age was 33 years, and 78 % were prescribed a CFTR modulator. We identified three symptom factors: respiratory-energy, mood-gastrointestinal irritability, and pain-gastrointestinal dysmotility. High symptom severity in each factor was associated with specific demographic and clinical characteristics.

conclusionsCF symptom management strategies have historically focused on single-symptom approaches. Findings from this study may prompt clinicians to consider co-occurring symptoms, and ensure their assessment and management is tailored to the unique experiences of PwCF.

Indexed as

Cystic FibrosisPalliative CareQuality of LifeSymptom AssessmentAdultCystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance RegulatorFemaleHumansMaleSeverity of Illness IndexCystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance RegulatorPalliative careQuality of lifeSymptom managementSymptom science

Identifiers

PMID40628572
PMCPMC12337307

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.