Loci associated with severity in cystic fibrosis

Two genetic loci found to be associated with lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis are reported in this week’s issue of Nature Genetics.Cystic fibrosis is an inherited, progressive, frequently fatal disease that affects approximately 1 in 3000 births in Europe and the United States. Cystic fibrosis occurs mostly in Caucasians, with Northern European ancestry, although all ethnicities can be affected. Lung disease is a common source of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis. Garry Cutting and colleagues analyzed the genome of almost 3,500 patients with cystic fibrosis and identified two genetic loci that are associated with severity of lung disease in cystic fibrosis.