Symptoms and Signs and Cystic Fibrosis

The severity of symptoms\signs of Cystic Fibrosis are individualized, where the disease process may improve or worsen over time. The age of onset is also variable, sometimes appearing at birth, or later developing during adolescence and adulthood.

5 most frequent symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Symptoms	Occurrence in patients (Percentage)
Persistent cough that produces viscous mucus	98%
Salty-tasting skin	98%
Foul-smelling, greasy stools	94%
Weight loss and poor growth\development	94%
Infertility	98%

Symptoms in newborns may include:

Salty-tasting skin, no bowel movements within the first 24-48 hours of life, delayed growth, and failure to gain weight

Symptoms that occur later in adolescence and adulthood:

Clubbed fingers due to low oxygen perfusion,pancreatitis, weakness, increased heart rate, low bone density leading to osteoporosis, continued respiratory symptoms including pneumonia, shortness of breath, excessive mucus production, and coughing. Infertility most commonly occurs in men due to the absence of being born with a vas deferens. The vas deferens is a tube that delivers sperm from the testes to the penis. Infertility also occurs in women; viscous mucus may seal off the cervix making it difficult to become pregnant.

Symptoms related to bowel function include:

Nausea and loss of appetite, severe constipation, increased gas and bloating, distended belly, and weight loss. Excessive mucus produced in patients with CF blocks digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas; without these enzymes, the intestines can’t fully absorb nutrients from food eaten. This results in pale\clay colored stools that contain mucus or have a foul smell. Frequent straining while passing stool can cause parts of the rectum so protrude outside the anus. This is called rectal prolapse. This condition can be fixed by general surgery

Symptoms related to respiratory function include:

Fatigue, persistent coughing, wheezing, increased mucus production, recurring cases of pneumonia, shortness of breath, activity intolerance, loss of appetite, inflamed nasal passages, nasal congestion from nasal polyps

https://www.cff.org/What-is-CF/About-Cystic-Fibrosis/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystic-fibrosis/basics/symptoms/con-20013731

http://www.medicinenet.com/cystic_fibrosis/page4.htm#what_are_the_signs_and_symptoms_of_cystic_fibrosis

http://www.healthline.com/health/cystic-fibrosis#Symptoms4

http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cystic-fibrosis/overview.html