Females with cystic fibrosis have a larger decrease in sweat chloride in response to lumacaftor/ivacaftor compared to males

Abstract

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 ppFEV₁ 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, ppFEV₁ 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/m², 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 ppFEV₁ 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 ppFEV₁ 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.

Keywords: BMI; CFTR modulators; Lumacaftor/ivacator; Sweat chloride; Sweat test; Treatment response; ppFEV1.