EFAD may contribute to inflammatory pathways contributing to symptoms in CF. Which domains are affected?

• A. Cardiac and renal
• B. Pulmonary and gastrointestinal
• C. Skeletal and endocrine
• D. Skin and nervous

Answer: (B)

Essential fatty acids are required for membrane integrity and proper inflammatory signaling. In cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency leads to fat malabsorption, causing essential fatty acid deficiency. This deficiency shifts inflammatory pathways in a way that most strongly impacts tissues repeatedly burdened by CF pathology—the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract. In the lungs, EFAD contributes to an environment of heightened airway inflammation and infection risk, worsening pulmonary symptoms. In the GI tract, EFAD disrupts fat absorption and mucosal integrity, leading to steatorrhea, poor weight gain, and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, fueling GI symptomatology and malnutrition. Other organ systems are less directly linked in this CF-specific inflammatory context, so pulmonary and GI domains are the ones affected.