Turnaround times in the process of newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism, eighteen years of evolution

CASTILLO C; JUNCO M; CHIESA A; MACCALLINI G; FERNANDEZ MENTABERRY V ; ROPELATO MG,; ARANDA C; MICENMACHER V; DRATLER G; HERZOVICH V; GUARRERA G

CABA

Congreso; XI Congreso Latinoamericano de errores congénitos del metabolismo y pesquisa neonatal; 2019

Sociedad latinoamericana de errores congenitos y pesquisa neonatal (SLEIMPN)

INTRODUCTION: Early and effective treatments are keycomponents for the success of the newborn screening forcongenital hypothyroidism. To achieve it, is essential tocontrol the time of blood sampling and a fast response in therecall process. The use of quality control indicators allows tomonitor the activities and take objective actions over the timefor the continuous improvements.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of two turnaroundtimes (TAT) covering pre-analytical, and analytical, postanalytical and start of treatment in a subset of congenitalhypothyroidism patients at higher risk.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Newborn babies withserum confirmatory TSH concentrations above 20 uIU/mlwere included. Two TAT were used: TAT1 days of life atblood sampling and TAT2 days of life at the start of treatment.The data of each TAT include information of 3 years, startingin 2001 and finishing at December 2018. For each TAT, dataof mean and 90th percentile were registered.RESULTS: 265 congenital hypothyroidism newbornsbetween 2001 and 2018 were included. The number of patientsin each time and the mean and 90th percentile for each periodfor TAT1 and TAT2 were: 2001-2003 (36): TAT1 6.3 and16.8, TAT2 20.4 and 33.0; 2004-2006 (50): TAT1 4.6 and12.6, TAT2 14.8 and 23.8; 2007-2009 (33): TAT1 3.3 and 4.6,TAT2 12.1 and 16.2; 2010-2012 (52): TAT1 3.6 and 6.0,TAT2 10.7 and 15.2; 2013-2015 (58): TAT1 3.9 and 8.0,TAT2 10.8 and 17.1; 2016-2018 (36): TAT1 2.7 and 4.0,TAT2 12.6 and 20.0.CONCLUSION: There were reductions in the turnaroundtimes over the years however for TAT2 in the last three yearsa slight increase was observed. Efforts are still needed forachieving improvements in the TAT2 indicator