Screening for cystic fibrosis. A comparative study.

A neonatal screening program for CF by determination of albumin in meconium was performed in the north eastern part of the Netherlands from 1973 to 1979. In this period 94,043 newborns were screened and 116,953 were not. A follow-up study of CF patients in the above cohorts was started in 1980. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of early diagnosis and treatment in CF patients by comparing the outcome in the two groups of patients. Although the results indicate that very early diagnosis and treatment have a beneficial effect on outcome, more studies are needed before a definite answer can be given as to whether or not mass neonatal screening should be started.