Carrier testing program in a high-risk cystic fibrosis population from northeastern Italy. Active recruitment of relatives via probands' parents.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the practicability and monitor the results of an active carrier testing program among relatives of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.


METHODS
Parents of CF patients in the Veneto and Trentino regions of northeastern Italy were asked to help recruit relatives aged between 18 and 45 years for CF mutation testing.


RESULTS
Of 409 enrolled CF parents, 59.6% agreed to send to the CF Center family composition data of relatives up to the third degree, and 28.8% recruited relatives to carrier testing, providing names and addresses of those who, being contacted, expressed a willingness to be tested. The participation of parents was higher if they were young and had a child recently diagnosed with CF. Recruiting parents indicated 333 close relatives (59%) for testing. When contacted by the CF Center, 170 of these 333 (51%) attended for testing. The percentage of close relatives who spontaneously asked for the test was 5.4% before the carrier testing program started; it rose to 25.3% following the introduction of the active strategy.


CONCLUSIONS
The participation of the parents of CF patients is an important factor affecting the utilization of testing by relatives. Besides this, the influence of a favorable medical and cultural context (participation of gynecologists and family doctors in testing programs, genetic education of the general population) has to be considered.
Borgo
G
G
Regional Cystic Fibrosis Center, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Verona, Italy. CFC@Linus.Univr.it
Castellani
C
C
Bonizzato
A
A
Rolfini
R
R
Altieri
S
S
Zanolla
L
L
Mastella
G
G