Inhaling a compound that is normally produced in the lungs but is lacking in people with cystic fibrosis seems to be helpful for such patients, results of a pilot study indicate.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition, characterized by thick mucus build-up in the lungs as well as other organs such as bile ducts and intestines. People with the disorder suffer from difficulty breathing, frequent bouts of pneumonia, and numerous other afflictions.

The secretion of a peptide called glutathione by lung cells is impaired in cystic fibrosis, and there is good evidence to suggest that the lack of glutathione in lung fluid plays a key role in the chronic inflammation and infection that occurs, according to the study in the medical journal Chest.

Previous studies have investigated inhaled glutathione as a treatment for cystic fibrosis. The current study is different from the others in that it compared active treatment with inactive placebo treatment, and involved a higher daily dose of glutathione over a longer period.

In the study, 19 patients with cystic fibrosis were randomized to receive inhaled glutathione or placebo for 8 weeks.

Glutathione-treated patients experienced an increase in peak expiratory airflow whereas the comparison group experienced a drop, Dr. Clark Bishop, from Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and colleagues report.

When asked to rate their condition on a 5-point scale, the participants given glutathione reported significantly more improvement than those given the placebo.

Also, inhaled glutathione therapy was well tolerated, and the frequency and nature of side effects was similar in the two groups.

In a related editorial, Dr. Brian J. Day, from the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado, comments that with three small studies showing a benefit for inhaled glutathione in cystic fibrosis, “it seems clear that the next logical step is a large multicenter clinical trial.”

Moreover, he notes that because glutathione deficiency is found in a number of lung diseases, the therapy may have broader application.

SOURCE: Chest, January 20057.