Analysis of Depression and Anxiety Scores Following Initiation of Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (E/T/I) has provided life‐changing pharmacotherapy for many people with cystic fibrosis (CF), but conflicting literature exists regarding the effect on mental health. While some reports suggest E/T/I may induce adverse psychiatric symptoms, others report improvements in mental health symptoms. To add to this growing body of knowledge, we retrospectively analyzed depression and anxiety symptoms before and after E/T/I initiation in adults with CF at a single large US CF center. Method Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7) scores recorded in a database were studied. Patients with scores collected before and after E/T/I initiation were included. Regression analyses described associations between score changes and age, race, ethnicity, sex, CFTR variant, and prior depression and/or anxiety diagnoses. Secondary analyses examined possible confounding effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results There was no change in mean GAD‐7 (0.5 ± 5.3, p = 0.41) or PHQ‐9 (−0.02 ± 6.0, p = 0.97) scores following initiation of E/T/I (N = 86). A trend between a prior diagnosis of depression and worsening in PHQ‐9 post‐E/T/I was observed (OR 3.58; p = 0.054). Conclusions Treatment with E/T/I does not lead to changes in depression or anxiety symptoms at the population level in this single center cohort study. A prior diagnosis of depression trended towards an increased odds of worsening PHQ‐9 scores after E/T/I initiation.

Keywords

• adult
• anxiety
• cystic fibrosis
• depression
• elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor