Preliminary Study of Newborn Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in Indonesia

Newborn screening (NBS) is an effective public health policy to detect congenital disorders. In 2014, Indonesia marked its pivotal step by launching a national NBS program for congenital hypothyroidism (CH). The expansion of NBS program is expected. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and recall rates of NBS for CH and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). A preliminary study was conducted in 5 cities in Indonesia from October 2015 to January 2016. All newborns aged 2-5 days with gestational age ≥36 weeks were included in the study. Identity, gender, and age at the time of testing, and gestational age were recorded. The heel prick dried blood samples were taken and transported to the appointed standardized laboratories for TSH and 17-OHP testing. Samples were tested using immunoassay. A positive screen test prompted recalling for confirmatory testing and referral to pediatric endocrinologists. Out of 1226 patients, 1126 were screened for TSH while 1188 were tested for 17-OHP. The median age was 2 (2-5) days. The recall rate for CH was 1/1167 (0.09%). The patient was recalled and was found to be a true positive case. Out of 1188 patients who were screened for CAH, 8 had positive results (0.71%). After recalling, only 3 patients screened for CAH came for confirmatory testing, and 2 were found true positives. High rates of CH and CAH in Indonesia indicate the need of mandatory NBS program. CAH screening results in high false positive values; hence, second tier screening should be considered. Government support, good partnership with health services, and increased society awareness are of importance.