Two years of newborn screening for cystic fibrosis in Turkey: Çukurova experience.

Şaşihüseyinoğlu AŞ, Altıntaş DU, Bişgin A, Doğruel D, Yılmaz M, Serbes M. Two years of newborn screening for cystic fibrosis in Turkey: Çukurova experience. Turk J Pediatr 2019; 61: 505-512. The severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) depends on the type of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutation. The primary goal of newborn screening (NBS) is to decrease morbidity, mortality and associated disabilities. The National NBS for CF programme was initiated in Turkey since 01.01.2015. The aim of this study was to present two years of experience of our CF center which is located in the south of Turkey. The study population comprised of infants who were born in Adana between 1 January 2015 - 31 December 2016, referred to our CF center as part of NBS for CF and performed CFTR gene analysis. The infants were divided into three groups according to laboratory tests and symptoms as CF, CRMS (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-related metabolic syndrome) and false positive NBS. Between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016, NBS was performed in 77,437 newborns in Adana. Two hundred seven (0.26%) newborns screened were positive for CF. A total of 184 infants were included to the study. We reported 12 babies as CF with an incidence of 1:6,452. The babies diagnosed as CF constituted 6.5% of positive CF NBS. Rest of study group diagnosed with CRMS/CFSPID (54/184, 29.5%) and false positive (118/184, 64%). Positive predictive value (PPV) of NBS was 6.5%. The most common CFTR mutations were 508del, p.F1052L and p.L997 F. The implementation of CF-NBS program has been successful in Turkey. But it is too early to determine the specificity and sensitivity of the program.