Materials and Methods

Study and Control Groups Twelvepatients with CF followedby the Intermountain Cystic Fibrosis Center were included in the study. The diagnosis ofCF had been established by clinical features of the disease and confirmed by sweat concentrations of Cl> 60 mEq/liter. The mean age of the patients was 24±2.2 yr (range, 18 to 29 yr). Ten healthy adults, mean age 30±3.4 yr (range, 21 to 42 yr), were studied as normal controls (NL). None of the control subjects were receiving any medication. Patients were studied before, during, and after 2-to 3-week courses of anti-P aeruginosa intravenous antibiotics, which were administered both in the hospital and at home. All sputum cultures from these patients were positive for P. aeruginasa, and 60% were also positive for Pseudomonas cepacia. Patient profiles for pulmonary function variables and weight are shown in Table 1. All of the patients were receiving inhaled {J-agonists as bronchodilators. None of the patients were receiving steroids. The study protocol had been approved by the University of Utah Human Subjects Committee.