CF GLOBAL CARE: Collaboration Between Two CF Centers; University of
Michigan, USA and Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey before and during
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nasr, S.Z.1
Gökdemir, Y.2
Erdem, E.2
Karakoc, F.2
Ergenekon, P.2
Tapley, C.1
Dagher, S.1
Bouma, S.1
Keniş Coşkun, Ö.2
Kocamaz; D.2
Karadag, B.2
1 Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of
Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor,
Michigan, USA2 Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department. of
Pediatrics Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
Corresponding Author: Samya Z. Nasr
Professor of Pediatrics
CF Center Director
University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine
1500 E. Medical Center DR.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Email: snasr@umich.edu
Phone: 734-764-4123
Runny Title: Collaboration Between 2 CF Centers in the USA and Turkey to
Improve Care
Abstract
Solving the world’s health challenges requires multidisciplinary
collaborations
that bring together the talents, experiences, resources, and ideas from
multiple sectors in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high
-income countries (HIC). Cystic Fibrosis (CF) was thought to be a
disease of Caucasian populations from European decent. However, it has
been shown to affect people from all ethnic backgrounds. CF care varies
significantly for people with CF (pw CF) from HIC with median survival
approaching 50 years of age, to LMIC with pw CF dying in infancy or
early childhood. To address the discrepancy in quality of care and
outcomes, we report on a collaboration between our team at the
University of Michigan cystic fibrosis center (UoM CFC), through support
from the Middle East CF Association (MECFA) and the CF Foundation (CFF),
and a CF center in Turkey (Marmara University CF Center, Istanbul) to
address deficiencies and improve quality of care in that center. The
collaboration has been successful in improving Ma CFC data and patient
care. This partnership can be viewed as a model of collaboration to be
duplicated in other Middle East Countries and LMIC to deliver optimal CF
care.