Misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis
Alternative diagnoses list for Cystic Fibrosis:
For a diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis,
the following list of conditions
have been mentioned in sources
as possible alternative diagnoses
to consider during the diagnostic process for Cystic Fibrosis:
Diseases for which Cystic Fibrosis may be an alternative diagnosis
The other diseases for which Cystic Fibrosis
is listed as a possible alternative
diagnosis in their lists include:
Cystic Fibrosis: Hidden Causes Misdiagnosed?
Causes of Cystic Fibrosis may include these medical conditions:
- Genetic mutation. Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common life-shortening genetic diseases
- more causes...»
Rare Types of Cystic Fibrosis:
- Nasal polyps related to cystic fibrosis
- Pancreatic insufficiency related cystic fibrosis
- Sinusitis related cystic fibrosis
- Bronchiectasis related cystic fibrosis
- Intussusception related to cystic fibrosis
- Undescended testis associated to cystic fibrosis
- Hydrocele associated with cystic fibrosis
- More rare types »
Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Cystic Fibrosis: Medical Mistakes
Related medical mistakes may include:
Cystic Fibrosis: Undiagnosed Conditions
Commonly undiagnosed conditions in related areas may include:
Common Misdiagnoses and Cystic Fibrosis
Chronic lung diseases hard to diagnose: Some of the chronic lung diseases
are difficult to diagnose.
Even the well-knowns conditions such as asthma or lung cancer often fail to be diagnosed early.
Some of the chronic lung diseases with diagnostic difficulties
include asthma (perhaps surprisingly), COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, mesothelioma,
smoker's cough, AIDS-related respiratory conditions (see AIDS), chronic pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases.
Rare possibilities include diseases like psittacosis (bird-related lung infection).
See other types of chronic lung diseases.
Meconium ileus- look for cystic fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis is the most
common autosomal recessive paediatric illness. The defect in the normal
transport of chloride ions leads to viscid secretions in the gut, lungs, liver
and reproductive system. It also leads to increased salt content in sweat gland
secretions. Early diagnosis and multisystemic care is important. The condition
has to be differentiated from chronic pancreatitis and bronchiectasis. Early mortality
can occur if the condition is not diagnosed soon.
Cystic Fibrosis: Rare Types
Rare types of medical disorders and diseases in related medical areas:
Failure To Diagnose Cystic Fibrosis
Failure to diagnose Cystic Fibrosis may be associated with the following:
- Cystic fibrosis is usually diagnosed early in life but some mild cases may not present with symptoms until the teenage years or early adulthood
- Milder cases of cystic fibrosis can manifest as a variety of symptoms in adulthood: chronic digestive problems, abdominal pain, infertility, finger clubbing and toe clubbing. These symptoms may be put down to many other conditions other than cystic fibrosis
- A diagnosis of cystic fibrosis may not even be considered in a person with a history of chronic sinusitis and respiratory problems which can be caused by cystic fibrosis
- Cystic fibrosis can remain undiagnosed for years or even decades depending on the severity of the disease. Severe disease produces characteristic symptoms soon after birth whereas milder cases may have more variable presentations with symptoms that do eventually occur being put down to other causes
- Undiagnosed cystic fibrosis can result in frequent lung infections which can damage the lungs
- Delayed diagnosis means treatment is delayed which can affect quality of life and life expectancy in some cases
- The diagnosis of cystic fibrosis may be confused by the fact that the disease can affect mainly the lungs or the digestive system or both
- Complications that can occur with untreated and treated cystic fibrosis: respiratory failure, malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and liver disease
- Symptoms such as recurring pneumonia, sinusitis, nasal polyps and untreatable asthma in children may indicate undiagnosed cystic fibrosis
- Recurring pancreatitis in adolescence may indicate undiagnosed cystic fibrosis
- Infertility in males may indicate undiagnosed cystic fibrosis
- Recurring sinusitis, bronchitis, nasal polyps, pancreatitis and bronchitis in adults may indicate undiagnosed cystic fibrosis
- Meconium ileus, rectal prolapse, failure to thrive, prolonged obstructive jaundice, low blood albumin levels and unexplained haemolytic anemia in infants may indicate undiagnosed cystic fibrosis
- A common pitfall in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is the assumption that it is a childhood disease
- Undiagnosed cystic fibrosis leads to continuing lung infections which can increasingly damage the lungs and even lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Notes On Hidden Causes Of Cystic Fibrosis
The following may be hidden causes of Cystic Fibrosis:
- Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic disorder
Notes On Wrong Diagnosis Of Cystic Fibrosis
Wrong diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis may be associated with the following:
- Cystic fibrosis may be wrongly diagnosed as tuberculosis, asthma, celiac disease or chronic bronchitis
- Studies indicate that a small number of patients have been wrongly diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis
Complications Of Misdiagnosis Of Cystic Fibrosis
The following may be complications of misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis:
- Failure to thrive during infancy due to cystic fibrosis may be put down to feeding problems
- Frequent lung and respiratory infections in an infant with cystic fibrosis may be dismissed as a poor immune system
- Coughing and mucus production due to cystic fibrosis may be misdiagnosed as a respiratory infection
- Dehydration in infants with undiagnosed cystic fibrosis may be put down to insufficient fluid intake
- Cystic fibrosis that affects mainly the digestive system may be misdiagnosed as a digestive disorder
- Cystic fibrosis that affects mainly the lungs may be misdiagnosed a respiratory disorder
- Breathing problems associated with cystic fibrosis may be misdiagnosed as asthma
Other Notes On Misdiagnosis Of Cystic Fibrosis
- In some parts of the world, newborn screening programs for cystic fibrosis means that many cases are diagnosed soon after birth
- Depression and anxiety are often associated with cystic fibrosis
- A negative result for genetic testing does not totally exclude cystic fibrosis as genetic testing cannot cover all the possible genetic mutations that can result in cystic fibrosis
- Although cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition, sometimes there is no family history of the disease as members have been carriers
- Complications and conditions associated with cystic fibrosis include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver fibrosis, cholelithiasis, arthritis and diabetes mellitus
- Genetic screening for cystic fibrosis is complicated by the fact that there are over 500 different genetic mutations associated with the condition
Medical news summaries about misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis:
The following medical news items
are relevant to misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis:
General Misdiagnosis Articles
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
About misdiagnosis:
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis
or confirming a diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis,
it is useful to consider what other
medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative
conditions relevant to diagnosis.
These alternate diagnoses of Cystic Fibrosis may already have
been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible
alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis.
For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases,
see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
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