ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the development and follow-up confirmatory results of the routine cystic fibrosis (CF) newborn screening (NBS) program in Wisconsin. METHODS: CF NBS has been performed on a routine clinical basis in Wisconsin since July 1994. The 2-tiered immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT)/DNA technique was used on dried blood on filter paper spots. From July 1994 to February 2002, mutation analysis was for the DeltaF508 allele. Beginning in March 2002, multimutation analysis of 25 CF mutations was performed. Infants with a positive result on NBS were seen in certified CF centers for sweat testing by means of quantitative pilocarpine iontophoresis, and families received genetic counseling. RESULTS: From July 1994 to February 2002, there were 120 cases of CF detected by means of NBS (509,794 infants screened), with 53 DeltaF508 homozygotes and 67 compound heterozygotes. There were 8 clinically diagnosed cases of CF (no DeltaF508 allele). The CF incidence was 1:3983 (95%CI, 1:3373-1:4774). From March 2002 to June 2003, multimutation analysis identified 21 cases of classic CF (90,142 infants screened). Sweat tests were successfully performed in infants younger than 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis of CF through NBS was successfully performed, with an estimated sensitivity rate of 99% using the IRT/25 CFTR multimutation assay.
Subject(s)
Cystic Fibrosis/diagnosis , DNA Mutational Analysis/methods , Fluoroimmunoassay/methods , Neonatal Screening/methods , Trypsinogen/blood , Age Factors , Chlorides/analysis , Cystic Fibrosis/blood , Cystic Fibrosis/epidemiology , Cystic Fibrosis/genetics , Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator/genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis/standards , Early Diagnosis , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/methods , Fluoroimmunoassay/standards , Heterozygote , Homozygote , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Iontophoresis/methods , Muscarinic Agonists , Neonatal Screening/standards , Pilocarpine , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Sensitivity and Specificity , Sweat/chemistry , Wisconsin/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: All states require some kind of testing for newborns, but the policies are far from standardized. In some states, newborn screening may include genetic tests for a wide range of targets, but the costs and complexities of the newer genetic tests inhibit expansion of newborn screening. We describe the development and technical evaluation of a multiplex platform that may foster increased newborn genetic screening. METHODS: MultiCode PLx involves three major steps: PCR, target-specific extension, and liquid chip decoding. Each step is performed in the same reaction vessel, and the test is completed in approximately 3 h. For site-specific labeling and room-temperature decoding, we use an additional base pair constructed from isoguanosine and isocytidine. We used the method to test for mutations within the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The developed test was performed manually and by automated liquid handling. Initially, 225 samples with a range of genotypes were tested retrospectively with the method. A prospective study used samples from >400 newborns. RESULTS: In the retrospective study, 99.1% of samples were correctly genotyped with no incorrect calls made. In the perspective study, 95% of the samples were correctly genotyped for all targets, and there were no incorrect calls. CONCLUSIONS: The unique genetic multiplexing platform was successfully able to test for 31 targets within the CFTR gene and provides accurate genotype assignments in a clinical setting.
