Efficacy and Safety of CFTR Corrector and Potentiator Combination Therapy in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis for the F508del-CFTR Homozygous Mutation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IntroductionCystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. The combination of a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) corrector and potentiator has provided a benefit by decreasing sweat chloride concentration in CF for the F508del-CFTR homozygous mutation, but it remains controversial in lung function, nutritional status, clinical score and safety.MethodsThe authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy on lung function, nutritional status, clinical score and safety in CF for the F508del-CFTR homozygous mutation. Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, and Embase were searched. The registered PROSPERO number was CRD42018085875.ResultsFive RCTs, including a total of 1637 participants with the F508del-CFTR homozygous mutation who accepted CFTR corrector and potentiator combination therapy along with basic treatment were enrolled in this analysis. Primary analysis revealed that combination therapy improved the percent of predicted FEV1 (ppFEV(1)) (MD 2.38, 1.62-3.15, P<0.00001), Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) respiratory domain score (MD 2.59, 0.96-4.22, P=0.002) and body-mass index (BMI) (MD 0.21, 0.03-0.39, P=0.02). In the secondary analysis, combination therapy had no impact on the number of participants reporting adverse events (OR 0.88, 0.58-1.33, P=0.53), but increased the proportion of discontinued treatments due to adverse events (OR 2.71, 1.3-5.63, P=0.008).ConclusionsCFTR corrector and potentiator combination therapy effectively improves lung function, nutritional status and clinical score in CF patients with the F508del-CFTR homozygous mutation, and has an acceptable safety profile.