Newborn screening for sickle cell disease. When is an infant 'lost to follow-up'?
Success of programs to screen newborns for sickle cell disease depends on timely follow-up. Education regarding fever and splenic palpation, and initiation of prophylactic penicillin therapy, will reduce morbidity and mortality and should occur prior to 4 months of age. However, contacting parents to permit implementation of care may be difficult, particularly in large urban populations; only nine (36%) of 25 infants recently identified as having sickle cell disease arrived at our institution for initial appointments. Medical providers must be aware of medical and legal obligations related to follow-up of newborns with sickle cell disease to prevent untoward events in "missed cases."
Miller
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ST
Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York-Children's Medical Center of Brooklyn.
Stilerman
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Rao
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SP
Abhyankar
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S
Brown
A K
AK
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D010290:Parents; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy