Gastrointestinal issues in cystic fibrosis: a lifetime of disease

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common inherited diseases in the UK, affecting 1:2500 live births. There are now more adults than children with CF in the UK, with a median survival of approximately 40 years. The pulmonary complications of CF are commonly understood and are the main cause of mortality; however, gastrointestinal (GI) complications are wide ranging and remain a primary cause of morbidity. Common GI complications include malabsorption and pancreatic insufficiency; however, less well known are problems such as inflammatory bowel disease and GI cancers. Managing lung disease has historically been the principal aim of care; however, with an increasingly older population GI complications must be addressed; the CF community urgently needs to engage with gastroenterologists who are willing to develop a special interest in this area.