Antibiotic treatment of cystic fibrosis exacerbations

Sigitas Dumčius

Clinic of Children Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: cystic fibrosis, exacerbation of cystic fibrosis, antibiotic therapy.

Summary. Although it is difficult to separate the beneficial effects of the various aspects of cystic fibrosis treatment, longer survival and improved quality of life have been associated with the advance of antibiotics varieties. However, there are still considerable differences of opinion as to when and for how long antibiotics should be given. Usually cystic fibrosis patients are chronically colonized with various microorganisms. Intermittent regimes of antibiotic therapy regarding chlinical features of pulmonary excerbations are discussed in this article. General antibiotic policies in cystic fibrosis, including management of most typical microorganisms causing cystic fibrosis exacerbations, are proposed.

Correspondence to S. Dumčius, Clinic of Children Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eivenių 2, 3007 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: laimadum@cis.lt

Received 28 February 2003, accepted 14 March 2003