title: Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis is associated with reduced treatment intensity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the improved clinical status after newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) segregates with increased therapeutic intervention compared with presentation by clinical diagnosis (CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2002, two populations (1 to 9 years of age) who presented (excluding meconium ileus) by NBS < or = 3 months of age or by CD were compared in an observational, cross-sectional design. NBS and CD populations (184 and 950 patients, respectively) were divided into 3-year age groups (1 to 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 9 years). Therapies of duration >3 months were compared together with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NBS patients < or = 6 years of age received significantly fewer and less demanding therapies not explained by age, genotype, geography, or social deprivation. In 7- to 9-year-olds, significantly fewer NBS patients received intravenous antibiotics. NBS patients without P aeruginosa infection received significantly fewer therapies, but no differences were found between intermittently or chronically infected NBS and CD populations. Comparable results were found in deltaF508/deltaF508 subpopulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CF populations diagnosed by NBS are associated with reduced treatment compared with age- and genotype-matched CD control subjects.
authors.affiliation: United Kingdom Cystic Fibrosis Database, Division of Maternal and Child Health Sciences, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Erika J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008134:Long-Term Care; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D006113:United Kingdom