Cystic fibrosis is characterized by thick mucus causing problems in many organs. Patients often have serious lung disease, frequent infections, digestive problems, and growth issues. Excessively salty skin and a china-doll, thin-skinned appearance is common. The disease worsens with time and is not curable with a decreased life expectancy.
Cystic fibrosis is named for the formation of cysts and scars in the pancreas. Upper respiratory infections and breathing difficulty, gastrointestinal disease, infertility, and pacreas-malfunction-related diabetes or malnutrition-related osteoporosis or finger clubbing can occur.
