Antioxidant supplementation for lung disease in cystic fibrosis.

Study answer

What this study found

Overall, antioxidant micronutrients did not appear to improve clinical endpoints in cystic fibrosis. Oral N-acetylcysteine showed a small, uncertain effect on FEV1 at 3 months (MD 2.83%, 95% CI -2.16 to 7.83) and a modest benefit at 6 months (MD 4.38%, 95% CI 0.89 to 7.87), while inhaled glutathione improved FEV1 at 3 months (MD 3.50%, 95% CI 1.38 to 5.62) but not clearly at 6 months (MD 2.30%, 95% CI -0.12 to 4.71). Oral glutathione showed larger improvements in FEV1 (MD 17.40%, 95% CI 13.97 to 20.83) and nutritional outcomes, and one mixed antioxidant trial reduced time to first pulmonary…

Study & population

Systematic review of 20 studies involving 924 children and adults with cystic fibrosis, with 16 oral antioxidant studies (n = 639) and 4 inhaled antioxidant studies (n = 285).

Intervention

This review evaluated oral and inhaled antioxidant supplementation in cystic fibrosis, including oral N-acetylcysteine, reduced glutathione, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium, and mixed antioxidant multivitamins, plus inhaled nebulized glutathione or NAC.

Key limitation

The evidence base was small, heterogeneous, and mostly short term, with different antioxidants, routes, doses, and outcome measures across studies.

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Original abstract