Newborn screening for cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency (homocyst
inuria; HCU) was started in the late 1960s using a bacterial inhibitio
n assay (BIA). At least seven countries have either national or region
al screening programmes; 12 programmes are known to have discontinued,
The worldwide incidence of HCU is approximately 1 in 335,000 but vari
es from 1:65,000 (Ireland) to 1:900,000 (Japan). Methodologies include
the BIA, one-dimensional or thin-layer amino acid chromatography and,
more recently, tandem mass spectrometry. The BIA diagnostic cut off c
oncentration of blood methionine varies from 67 to 270 mu mol/l (10-40
mg/l) with a median of 135 mu mol/l (20 mg/l). In Ireland, 25 cases o
f HCU from 19 families have been identified from 1.58 million newborn
infants since 1971: 21 cases were detected through the screening progr
amme. Of the four missed cases, three were breast-fed at the time of b
lood collection and one was pyridoxine responsive. These findings were
in broad agreement with the results from five other programmes, in wh
ich approximately one in every five cases was missed by the screening
programme. Early hospital discharge, low protein intake, high blood me
thionine cut-off concentration and pyridoxine responsiveness were all
identified as contributing to missed cases.