Individuals with ABPA and frequent fungal infection have signs
of worse clinical outcomes
We compared the clinical characteristics at baseline and during
follow-up of individuals by ABPA and fungal status: ABPA/frequent (20,
7%), ABPA/rare (27, 9%), no ABPA/frequent (93, 32%), and no ABPA/
rare (154, 52%). Individuals ever diagnosed with ABPA were, on average,
followed longer during the study period than those without ABPA
regardless of fungal status [mean (SD) 5.7 yrs (2.3) versus 4.0 (2.7)
yrs, respectively, p < 0.001]. Table 3 shows clinical
characteristics for the four groups. Figure 1 shows comparisons in
ppFEV1, diagnoses of CFRD, IgE measurements, and
co-infection with P. aeruginosa and S. maltophilia between
groups.
Individuals with frequent fungi and ABPA tended to have more chronic
infection with P. aeruginosa compared to the other three groups
(p = 0.07). While not statistically significant, those with frequent
fungal infection and ABPA had the lowest average ppFEV1 of the four
groups during the follow up period (Table 3) and highest annual rate of
decline in ppFEV1 [ -2.3% versus ABPA/Rare -1.32%, No ABPA/Frequent
-1.76% and No ABPA/Rare -1.68% per year (p values of interactions =
0.19, 0.5, 0.43), Figure 2]. Those with ABPA had higher IgE and serum
eosinophils regardless of fungal status; IgE was highest in those with
ABPA and frequent fungal infections.