The movie “Five Feet Away” released in 2019, sheds light on a medical condition called cystic fibrosis. In the plot, the character Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) spends a lot of time in the hospital because of the illness.
There, she meets Will (Cole Sprouse), who suffers from the same illness. They are forced to keep their distance, but they still fall in love.
Stella is awaiting a lung transplant, while Will is taking part in a study on a drug that can fight a serious bacterial infection. The young people are not allowed to touch or be close to each other because of the risk of cross contamination .
In real life, patients can’t touch each other either?
According to experts consulted by CNN what is portrayed in fiction is a reality. “This is also a concern for patients with cystic fibrosis, as they are susceptible to bacterial infections, and some bacteria are particularly dangerous and resistant to treatments,” explains gastroenterologist Alexandre Carlos.
According to the doctor, cross-contamination can occur through droplets in the air, such as sneezing, coughing or even during close conversation.
“Therefore, maintaining a safe distance from other cystic fibrosis patients is a preventive measure that needs to be considered,” he adds.
According to Valter Gurtovenco, a pulmonologist and technical director at Clínica MedViana, the recommendation to keep a distance should be lifelong. “Since both people are prone to catching an infection due to low resistance due to the disease, they can infect each other at any time,” says the professional.
What is cystic fibrosis, the disease from “Five Feet Apart”?
“Cystic fibrosis is a serious hereditary disease that affects both the lungs and the digestive system. It affects the cells that produce mucus and gastric juice, and especially sweat,” says Valter. Ana Luiza Rangel, a pediatric pulmonologist, also adds that the medical condition is currently considered the most common serious genetic disease of childhood.
The disease is a multisystemic disease, that is, it affects several organs, including the lungs, pancreas, upper airways, liver, intestine and reproductive system.
- Lungs: can cause mucus to thicken and therefore block the airways, making breathing difficult and facilitating frequent lung infections.
- Pancreas: May prevent the release of essential digestive enzymes, making digestion and nutrient absorption difficult.
- Liver: can cause blockages in the bile ducts.
- Intestine: can lead to intestinal problems and difficulty absorbing nutrients.
- Reproductive system: can affect fertility, especially in men.
Alexandre Carlos points out that cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease . “It is caused by mutations in a gene called Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR). A person needs to inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to develop the disease,” he points out.
What are the symptoms of cystic fibrosis?
Symptoms can be observed from the first years of an individual’s life and are usually: difficulty gaining weight, growth below expectations, loss of fat in the feces (voluminous and oily feces), increased pulmonary secretion, signs of respiratory distress (such as wheezing and difficulty breathing), recurrent respiratory infections, chronic sinusitis, infertility in men, and may also progress to diabetes and liver disease.
the diagnosis, according to doctors, can be made through a neonatal screening test
Is cystic fibrosis curable?
There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis. However, advances in treatment have significantly improved patients’ quality of life and life expectancy, explains Alexandre.
Cystic fibrosis treatment
As Ana Luiza Rangel explains, in the last decade, a new treatment with channel modulators in medical settings has been bringing a better quality of life to those diagnosed with the medical condition. “Because of this, they can live with the disease without so many lung problems and complications,” she adds.
However, to date, modulators are available in the Unified Health System (SUS) only for patients over 12 years of age.
Other treatments, according to Alexandre Carlos, are:
- Medications: antibiotics to treat and prevent lung infections and medications to thin mucus and improve lung function;
- Bronchodilators to clear secretions from the lungs;
- Nutritional supplements and pancreatic enzymes: to aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients;
- Chest physiotherapy: techniques to help remove mucus from the lungs.
- Lung transplant: in severe cases, it may be considered.
Valter Gurtovenco guarantees that individuals with cystic fibrosis have a survival prognosis of over 50 years.
“It is important to have a multidisciplinary team for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. This includes pulmonologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, therapists and gastroenterologists,” adds Ana Luiza Rangel.
This content was originally published in “Five Feet Apart”: understand the disease portrayed in the film on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
