title: Incidence of sickle cell disease in an unselected cohort of neonates born in Berlin, Germany.
abstract: Sickle cell disease (SCD) does not occur in the indigenous German population. However, with the increasing numbers of immigrants its prevalence is steadily rising. Nevertheless, robust epidemiological data is not available for Germany and, consequently, the German newborn screening (NBS) program does not include SCD. Between 1 September 2011 and 30 November 2012, an unselected cohort of 34,084 Berlin newborns was tested for SCD. The results of 14 newborns were consistent with SCD and 265 babies were identified as hemoglobin S (Hb S) carriers. These data indicate a 95% probability that the incidence of SCD in Berlin is at least 2.5/10,000.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology/BMT, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lobitz
authors.affiliation: Labor Berlin GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frömmel
authors.affiliation: Labor Berlin GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brose
authors.affiliation: Newborn Screening Laboratory, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Newborn Screening Laboratory, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blankenstein
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001604:Berlin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle