changes in self-care, treatment adherence, and renal function in children with cystic fibrosis

Background: cystic fibrosis (cf) is a chronic and progressive disease that requires continuous care and management. self-care and treatment adherence play crucial roles in the effective management of these patients, particularly in children.  the present study aimed to assess the status of self-care, treatment adherence, and renal function indicators in children with cf, as well as to analyze their changes over a six-month period.methods: in this longitudinal study, 30 children with cf were evaluated on an outpatient basis at two time points: baseline and six months later. data on nutritional self-care and treatment adherence were collected using validated questionnaires. laboratory indicators including serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (bun), estimated glomerular filtration rate (egfr), blood glucose, and urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio were measured. parametric statistical tests and linear mixed-effects regression models were applied for data analysis.results: the mean age was 10 years, with a mean body mass index of 15.5 kg/m², and the majority were male. the mean self-care score significantly declined over the six-month period (p = 0.024), while treatment adherence showed no significant change (p = 0.787). serum creatinine (p = 0.019) and blood glucose (p = 0.009) levels increased significantly, whereas egfr decreased (p = 0.003). time was the only variable that had a significant effect on egfr and creatinine (p < 0.05); self-care and treatment adherence scores had no significant impact. a significant negative correlation was observed between self-care and the urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (r = -0.508, p < 0.01).conclusion: the observed decline in self-care and renal function among children with cf over time highlights the need for structured, multidimensional, and long-term interventions aimed at improving self-care and treatment adherence. regular monitoring of renal function is also recommended for these patients.