Females with cystic fibrosis have a larger decrease in sweat chloride in response to lumacaf tor/ivacaf tor compared to males

Aim: To explore which patient-related factors influence sweat test response to CFTR modulators, as well as examining the correlation between the sweat chloride response and ppFEV(1) or BMI response, using systematically collected real-life clinical data. Methods: 160 CF patients were identified who had used lumacaftor/ivacaftor for at least six months. Of these patients, age, sweat chloride levels, ppFEV(1) weight and BMI at the start of treatment and after 6 months were collected retrospectively. Pearson and Spearman tests were performed to assess correlations. Results: Females compared to males in this group showed a larger response in sweat chloride (mean difference 10.6 mmol/l, 95% CI: 5.7-15.4) and BMI (mean difference 0.27 kg/m(2), 95% CI: 0.01-0.54). A modest but significant correlation was found between patient weight and sweat chloride response (Pearson R = 0.244, p = 0.001), which diminished upon correction for the other factors. The correlation between sex and sweat chloride response remained; R = 0.253, p = 0.001. Sweat chloride response did not correlate with ppFEV(1) change or BMI change at 6 months after start of therapy. Conclusion: Sweat chloride response is larger in females compared to males, which also explains the negative correlation of weight with the response in sweat chloride concentration after start of lumacaftor/ivacaftor. Sweat chloride response does not correlate with the responses in ppFEV(1) and BMI. This information may help the interpretation of sweat test results acquired for the follow up and evaluation of CFTR modulating treatments, and warrants further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of sex differences in response to CFTR modulators. (C) 2020 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In CFTR modulator therapy, female patients show a significantly larger response in sweat chloride and BMI compared to male patients, while there is a modest correlation between patient weight and sweat chloride response that diminishes upon correction for other factors. Furthermore, sweat chloride response is not correlated with changes in ppFEV(1) and BMI after 6 months of therapy.