Study Of Newborn Screening In Zheijiang Province From1999to2010

Newborn screening for inherited disorders provides an opportunity for pre-symptomatic identification and early intervention to prevent or mitigate morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions.[1]Since the early1960s, when Robert Guthrie discovered blood spot filter paper for the first time and newborn phenylketonuria (PKU) screening was carried out in the USA, newborn screening program has been established in numerous countries all over the world.[2..4]The national newborn screening was started in China in1981.[10] Presidential Order33was promulgated in October1994and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Maternal and Infant Health Care became enforce-able on1st June1995.[10]Because of differences of economics, cultural and geography conditions, newborn screening mode and progresses vary among different provinces in China.[11] Zhejiang Province started newborn screening in1999. Although the beginning of newborn screening was late, rapid progresses were made in Zhejiang Province and it has become the largest newborn screening center for the huge annual screening quantity.This study was aimed to analyze newborn screening in different parts of Zhejiang Province from1999to2010. And this study was also aimed to analyze the regional incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and PKU in order to contribute for the development of newborn screening by providing accurate epidemiological evidence.Methods(1) The data was analyzed in the order of administrative division of Zhejiang Province as Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Quzhou, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Lishui and Ningbo region. Newborn screening rate of the11regions was analyzed by statistical analyzes of the quantity of the total newborns and the actual screened newborns.(2) The incidence of CH and PKU was analyzed by the statistical data of confirmed newborns in each region of the province, from1999to2010. The lateral longitudinal comparison of various regions was made in the order of time for the aim of observing the differences of CH and PKU incidence in varies regions.Results(1) A total of4,481,978newborns were screened in Zhejiang Province over the12years. Annual screening quantity was increased from23,295in1999to606,750in2010and the screening rate was increased from the level of6.46%in1999to the level of98.43%in2010.(2) Over12years,2,668cases of CH were confirmed. The average incidence of CH was1/1,680. And186cases were confirmed with PKU. The average incidence of PKU was1/24,097.(3) The data analysis of CH and PKU confirmed cases by SPSS16.0statistical package showed that the incidences of CH and PKU were different among varies regions of Zhejiang Province.Conclusions(1) The newborn screening rate in Zhejiang Province was ranking in the forefront in China. The annual screening quantity has reached more than600,000, which made it became China's largest newborn screening center for the huge annual screening quantity. In12years, Zhejiang Province managed to screen4,481,978newborns, and helped newborns with CH and PKU get early treatment to reduce the arises of physical disability and mental retardation.(2) Zhejiang province has made the fusion of the test,the diagnosis,the treatment and the follow-up in the same screening center firstly in the world, and explored a resource-saving medical screening mode for neonatal screening,so it became the exemplar screening center in China. The information quality management system made by the screening center greatly improved the number of screened newborns, management efficiency and quality of neonatal screening.(3) CH and PKU incidence were obvious regionally different. The incidence of CH was higher in Quzhou and Lishui, and lower in Shaoxing and Jiaxing. The incidence of PKU was higher in Jiaxing and Hangzhou, and lower in Zhoushan and Lishui.