Negative sweat test in hypertrypsinaemic infants with cystic fibrosis carrying rare CFTR mutations

Persistent hypertrypsinaemia in newborn screening for cystic fibrosis (CF) recognises subjects at high risk to be affected. Diagnosis is confirmed by a positive sweat test and/or by the presence of two mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of a negative sweat test (chloride < 60 mmol/l) during the first months of life, in hypertrypsinaemic infants, which would lead to a delayed diagnosis. We reviewed clinical charts of CF patients born between January 1993 and September 1998, when the neonatal screening programme consisted of an immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT)/DNA (F508del) + IRT strategy. Laboratory and clinical data were collected for patients diagnosed after 12 months of life. Out of 446,492 newborns, 104 CF patients were diagnosed giving an overall incidence of 1:4293. Of these, six had a blood IRT level above the cut off value (99th percentile) and a negative sweat test in the first trimester of life. At a mean age of 3.5years, the patients were again referred to our CF Centre for re-evaluation in order to confirm or exclude the disorder. Molecular analysis identified the following genotypes: F508del/A309D, F508del/3849 + 10kbC-->T, F508del/R117H (in two patients), R117H/ L997F, and F508del/R117L. Conclusion: infants with cystic fibrosis bearing a spectrum of mild cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene mutations may present as hypertrypsinaemic newborns with a sweat chloride within the normal range. Reference values for normal sweat test during the first months of life should be revised. A wide molecular genetic analysis is recommended for newborns presenting persistent hypertrypsinaemia and a sweat test result > 30 mmol/l in order to diagnose atypical forms of the disease.