Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Acute Inhalation of Hypertonic Saline Does Not Improve Mucociliary Clearance in All Children With Cystic Fibrosis
Brief Summary: Previously, the investigators and others have shown that mucociliary clearance (MCC) is defective in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and it is now thought that alterations in airway mucus rheology figure prominently in the impairment. Mucociliary clearance works by trapping toxic particles, bacteria and viruses in the lung mucus and then quickly removing the mucus out of the lungs. Defects in MCC typically lead to the accumulation of mucus in the airways, and this in turn is associated with acute infections, chronic bacterial colonization and chronic inflammation. One treatment strategy that is gaining acceptance as an important therapy for improving MCC in adults with CF is the inhalation of the osmotic stimulus, hypertonic saline (HS). A number of studies have shown that acute inhalation of HS (7% saline) significantly improves MCC in adults with CF and results from a recent study indicate that two weeks of inhaling HS leads to a significant increase in MCC that is sustained for 8 hours post inhalation and is associated with significant improvements in FEV1, FVC and FEF25-75 values. Since MCC in patients with CF appears to be impaired by adulthood, any drug that disrupts or slows the impairment in childhood could prove enormously beneficial in the long-term prognosis of the disease. Nevertheless, no studies have been conducted to determine if HS treatment improves MCC in children with CF. This is most problematic for physicians who care for children with CF who have normal FEV1 and FVC values, since it is unclear if they should treat these children with HS or not. This research study is designed to begin to answer this question. The investigators hypothesize that acute inhalation of hypertonic saline (7%) will improve MCC in CF children with normal pulmonary function. Our hypothesis will be tested in a one-year clinical trial that will be randomized and placebo-controlled. Twelve children with CF who are 7-12 years old and have normal FEV1 and FVC values will participate. Our goal will be to compare MCC in these children on two study visits after acute inhalations of placebo (0.12% saline) or hypertonic saline (HS) (7% saline) aerosol. The investigators predict that MCC values after acute inhalation of 7% HS aerosol will be statistically significantly greater than after placebo inhalation.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Males and females
* Age 7-12 years old
* Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis by sweat chloride \> 60 meq/L, or presence of two CFTR mutations known to cause CF
* Routinely treated with the short-acting bronchodilator albuterol
* FEV1 \> 90% of predicted values

Exclusion Criteria:

* FEV1 \< 90% of predicted values
* Routine use of hypertonic saline, mannitol, or amiloride
* Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
* Sputum colonization with Burkholderia cepacia or multiple antibiotic resistant organisms
* Evidence of a pulmonary exacerbation within past two weeks
* Treated with intravenous or oral antibiotics in the past two weeks for a pulmonary exacerbation
* Presence of an acute respiratory illness characterized by:

  * Coughing above baseline values
  * Wheezing
  * Respiratory distress
  * Hemoptysis
* Cannot perform the inhalation maneuvers that are required for drug inhalation or radioaerosol administration
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed diagnosis of CF (sweat tests/genotype)
* The subject, or their legal guardian for children under 18 years old, must provide written informed consent.
* The subject must be in stable clinical condition at the time of and for a period of 14 days prior to their recruitment into the study.
* Age \> 6 years old
* FEV1 \> 40% predicted for height, age and gender
* Proven or anticipated compliance with therapy or study protocol
* Regular attendee at a Cystic Fibrosis Clinic (\> 2 visits per year)
* Able to reproducibly perform lung function tests (spirometry)
* Relatively stable nutritional status (\< 2 kg weight loss in last 6 months and \< 5 kg weight loss in last year)
* Known to have "normal" (for CF subject) laboratory tests - haematology, biochemistry, immunology, coagulation, etc.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Requiring home oxygen (pO2 \<55mmHg or pCO2 \>50mmHg) or assisted ventilation.
* Considered "terminally ill" or listed for transplantation (either lung or liver). Subjects that are listed for transplant after being enrolled in the trial are eligible to continue in the trial.
* Subjects colonised with Burkholderia cepacia. However, if a subject becomes colonised with B. cepacia during the trial, they should continue in the trial. Subjects should be considered to be B. cepacia positive if they have had even a single lifetime isolate. In these subjects, spirometry should be measured on a dedicated spirometer.
* Cigarette smoker.
* Exposure to investigational drugs within the past 30 days.
* Major haemoptysis (\> 60 mL in a single episode) within the last twelve months.
* Concurrent illnesses eg. cor pulmonale, clinically significant liver disease (portal hypertension, varices).
* Known allergy to quinine sulphate, Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
* Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura.
* Pregnant or lactating females.
* At risk females unwilling to use appropriate contraception to prevent pregnancy for the duration of their enrolment in the study.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of CF as defined by two or more clinical features of CF and a documented sweat chloride concentration \> 60 mEq/L and/or two well characterized disease causing CFTR gene mutations
* 14 years of age and older at enrollment
* Clinically stable at enrollment
* Ability to comply with medication use, study visits and study procedures
* FEV1 % predicted \> 40% \< 80 % as calculated by reference equations

Exclusion Criteria:

* Respiratory culture positive for: B. cepacia complex within past year or at screening
* Use of systemic corticosteroids within 30 days of screening
* Use of intravenous antibiotics or oral quinolones within 14 days of screening
* History of biliary cirrhosis, portal hypertension, or splenomegaly
* Other major organ dysfunction
* History of lung transplantation or currently on lung transplant list
* Supplemental oxygen therapy
* Oxygen saturation \< 95 % on room air
* Positive pregnancy test at screening
* Investigational drug use within 30 days of screening
* History of alcohol, illicit drug or medication abuse within 1 year of screening
* Acute respiratory symptoms
* Inability to take any form of bronchodilator
* Wheezing at the time of study
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Pass the inhalation test
* Chronic sputum production, at least ≥ 10 ml /24h
* Cystic Fibrosis (CF) diagnosed ( established by genotype or sweat sodium\>70 mmol/l or sweat chloride of\>60 mmol/l)
* Clinically stable at the time of recruitment (defined as no requirement for antibiotics or change in respiratory medication in the preceding 4 weeks)
* Trained in the use of autogenic drainage technique (at least 6 months)
* Inhaling hypertonic saline since at least 6 months
* To be able to provide written, informed consent and perform the protocol and the evaluations

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active massive hemoptysis during the previous 2 months
* Patient in transplantation or retransplantation list
* Patient already participating in another study at the same time

Answer: A