196 Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1988, 63 Neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis

SUMMARY Two groups of patients with cystic fibrosis were compared. The screened group, detected with an improved neonatal screening assay for immunoreactive trypsin, developed fewer chest infections requiring treatment and gained more weight than the unscreened group. Early diagnosis by screening seems to affect early morbidity. Neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis by dried blood spot has been undertaken at several centres since the development of the serum immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) assay by Crossley et al in 1979.1 This test has been improved, notably by the human trypsinogen monoclonal antibody assay (HTMAB),2 and it is effective and specific with acceptably few false positive and false negative results.3 4 Neverthe