The mutation ΔF508 on Dutch cystic fibrosis chromosomes: frequency and relation to patients age at diagnosis

Summary

We tested 190 chromosomes from Dutch cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and carriers for the presence or absence of the major CF mutation ΔF508. This mutation was found on 77% of the Dutch CF chromosomes. We observed a significant difference in the distribution of the ages at diagnosis between homozygotes for ΔF508 and the other patients. ΔF508 homozygotes tend to be identified as patients at neonatal or infantile age. The age at diagnosis of patients with at least one unknown allele, on the other hand, ranged between neonatal and young adult age.