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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
People with cystic fibrosis on triple therapy can safely ditch some daily add-on treatments. A new study found that stopping chronic therapies like airway clearance or inhaled antibiotics while on elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (Trikafta) didn't worsen lung function or raise the risk of flare-ups. Experts stress that decisions should still be personalized and made with care teams.
As highly effective CFTR modulators like Trikafta have transformed life for people with cystic fibrosis (CF), many patients have quietly started dropping some of their longstanding daily therapies — and a new study suggests that may be okay. Published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, the HERO-2 study followed 709 CF patients (aged 12+) on elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) for 12 months, tracking whether stopping chronic add-on therapies affected lung function or pulmonary exacerbations.
The findings were reassuring: patients who discontinued at least one chronic therapy showed no significant difference in lung function decline or risk of IV-antibiotic-treated exacerbations compared to those who kept all their treatments. Notably, 41.5% of participants had already self-reported stopping at least one therapy — with airway clearance, dornase alfa, and inhaled antibiotics topping the list.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: These findings give clinicians and patients a real-world evidence base to begin conversations about "treatment simplification" — reducing the daily burden of CF care without compromising outcomes. However, researchers caution this isn't a one-size-fits-all green light; individualized, shared decision-making remains essential.
