Salt therapy: “exciting change” in treating cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is the most common lethal genetic disease in white populations, but new therapies based on “a more complete understanding of the molecular-biological defect” allows “more aggressive therapy.” The leading new therapy uses inhaled hypertonic saline solution to correct a basic hydration defect. O’Sullivan and Freedman, from UMass and Harvard respectively, declare in an article just published in The Lancet :
Inhaled hypertonic saline represents an exciting change to the notion of cystic fibrosis care that treats only symptoms to one that corrects the underlying defect.
It is especially suited to pediatric use for infants 6 months to 3 years of age.