Autoimmunity in people with cystic fibrosis.

• Unusual GI complaints, vasculitis or arthritis may be due to autoimmune processes in people with CF. • Altered immunity, inflammation and dysbiosis in CF create a milieu that can lead to autoimmunity. • Autoimmune markers are increased in CF but are not sufficient to establish an autoimmune diagnosis. • The best-established autoimmune association is in the GI tract; biopsy verifies the diagnosis. Cystic fibrosis (CF) clinicians may see patients who have difficult-to-manage symptoms that do not have a clear CF-related etiology, such as unusual gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, vasculitis, or arthritis. Alterations in immunity, inflammation and intraluminal dysbiosis create a milieu that may lead to autoimmunity, and the CF transmembrane regulator protein may have a direct role as well. While autoantibodies and other autoimmune markers may develop, these may or may not lead to organ involvement, therefore they are helpful but not sufficient to establish an autoimmune diagnosis. Autoimmune involvement of the GI tract is the best-established association. Next steps to understand autoimmunity in CF should include a more in-depth assessment of the community perspective on its impact. In addition, bringing together specialists in various fields including, but not limited to, pulmonology, gastroenterology, immunology, and rheumatology, would lead to cross-dissemination and help define the path forward in basic science and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]