Our Cystic Fibrosis Centre

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is Ireland's most common life-threatening inherited disease. Approximately 1 in 19 people are carriers of the CF gene and where two carriers parent a child together, there is a 1 in 4 chance of the baby being born with CF.

CF affects the CFTR protein, a chloride channel expressed in most cells of the body, damaging many organs including the lungs, the pancreas, the liver, the digestive tract and the reproductive system. It causes thick sticky mucus to be produced, blocking the bronchial tubes and preventing the body's natural enzymes from digesting food. (http://www.cfireland.ie). For the majority of patients the disease culminates with recurrent and increasing numbers of Respiratory Tract infections requiring either home or inpatient intravenous antibiotics. The Department of Respiratory Medicine is one of the National designated CF centres. It’s expanding clinical and research program is currently looking after in excess of 210 adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

The service operates out of the Adult CF day centre and is staffed by three full time CF nurse specialists (Ms. Mairead McCarthy, Ms. Claire Fleming, Mr. James Dorgan) a dedicated Clinical Specialist Registrar (SpR), Senior Physiotherapist (Ms. Edel O’Riordan), Senior Dieticians (Ms Ciara Howlett & Ms. Karen Cronin), pharmacist (Ms. Sarah Twohig) with additional support from allied services including diabetes, renal medicine and gastroenterology/hepatology. In addition a CF specific research staff work closely with the clinical team to offer ‘new/future’ therapies as part of standard care.

90% of all care is provided on an ambulatory basis through the Adult CF centre, however, when necessary patients are admitted to State of the Art, single en suite CF designated beds in the Respiratory ward on 5B or equivalent rooms on other wards when required.

The CF service can be contacted directly on 087-2241824.

CF nurse specialists email: cuh.adultcfnurses@hse.ie

Group Website: www.3cf.ie