A life with cystic fibrosis: hope and progress in Innsbruck

A life with cystic fibrosis: hope and progress in Innsbruck

Innsbruck, Österreich - Barbara Kirchmair, a 50-year-old woman from Kitzbühel, leads a remarkable life despite her diagnosis of Cystic Fibrose (CF). This genetically related metabolic disease is a significant challenge for many affected people. A few decades ago, the forecast at CF was devastating - only a few children survived the early age. Thanks to modern drugs and rigorous treatment, Barbara can now live largely normally today, as carried out in a press conference at the Innsbruck Clinic. At the moment she takes 20 tablets a day and inhaled two hours to stabilize her health, emphasizing: "This enables me to continue to do normal," reported Tirol's ORF.

progress in CF treatment

The development of new therapies is crucial for life with cystic fibrosis, which affects around 1 out of 3,500 people in Austria. Dorothea Appelt, senior physician at the Innsbruck Univ.-Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Healing, explains that every newborn child has been tested for this disease since the 1990s, which leads to a discovery rate of 98 percent. This early detection and the continuous improvement of the treatment options have made it possible for many patients to lead a fulfilling life. Around 200 patients are currently being treated at the CF center in Innsbruck, whereby close monitoring is essential to avoid complications.

The importance of consistent action and adapted nutrition cannot be emphasized enough. Barbara Kirchmair, who herself is an example of this challenge, was ultimately also a participant in a clinical study on a new medication that has noticeably improved her life. Despite the positive developments, their everyday life remains shaped by infection, which is why it makes caution go. These aspects were also highlighted by the Medical University of Innsbruck in a joint media information that addresses the progress in the care of CF patients.

At the international level, the challenges of rare diseases will be commemorated on February 28, including the cystic fibrosis. In Austria this is affected by around 500,000 people, and there are more than 7,000 different rare diseases that burden the population. While the treatment options are constantly improving, the exchange and cooperation among experts on the recovery and care of these patients remains of the greatest importance, as Johannes Zschocke, director of the Institute for Human Echtik, notes.