Although cystic fibrosis patients in clinical trials had more severe illness, worse lung function, a lower weight level and more respiratory infection than non-participants, their involvement in research studies resulted in less lung function decline over a seven-year period.

The research results appeared in the first issue for January 2006 of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.

Christopher H. Goss, M.D., M.Sc., of the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, along with three associates, looked at data from 13,041 patients in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Registry between 1992 and 1998 to reach this finding.