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2.
EBioMedicine ; 102: 105076, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38507876

BACKGROUND: GAA-FGF14 disease/spinocerebellar ataxia 27B is a recently described neurodegenerative disease caused by (GAA)≥250 expansions in the fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) gene, but its phenotypic spectrum, pathogenic threshold, and evidence-based treatability remain to be established. We report on the frequency of FGF14 (GAA)≥250 and (GAA)200-249 expansions in a large cohort of patients with idiopathic downbeat nystagmus (DBN) and their response to 4-aminopyridine. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 170 patients with idiopathic DBN, comprising in-depth phenotyping and assessment of 4-aminopyridine treatment response, including re-analysis of placebo-controlled video-oculography treatment response data from a previous randomised double-blind 4-aminopyridine trial. FINDINGS: Frequency of FGF14 (GAA)≥250 expansions was 48% (82/170) in patients with idiopathic DBN. Additional cerebellar ocular motor signs were observed in 100% (82/82) and cerebellar ataxia in 43% (35/82) of patients carrying an FGF14 (GAA)≥250 expansion. FGF14 (GAA)200-249 alleles were enriched in patients with DBN (12%; 20/170) compared to controls (0.87%; 19/2191; OR, 15.20; 95% CI, 7.52-30.80; p < 0.0001). The phenotype of patients carrying a (GAA)200-249 allele closely mirrored that of patients carrying a (GAA)≥250 allele. Patients carrying a (GAA)≥250 or a (GAA)200-249 allele had a significantly greater clinician-reported (80%, 33/41 vs 31%, 5/16; RR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.23-5.41; Fisher's exact test, p = 0.0011) and self-reported (59%, 32/54 vs 11%, 2/19; RR, 5.63; 95% CI, 1.49-21.27; Fisher's exact test, p = 0.00033) response to 4-aminopyridine treatment compared to patients carrying a (GAA)<200 allele. Placebo-controlled video-oculography data, available for four patients carrying an FGF14 (GAA)≥250 expansion, showed a significant decrease in slow phase velocity of DBN with 4-aminopyridine, but not placebo. INTERPRETATION: This study confirms that FGF14 GAA expansions are a frequent cause of DBN syndromes. It provides preliminary evidence that (GAA)200-249 alleles might be pathogenic. Finally, it provides large real-world and preliminary piloting placebo-controlled evidence for the efficacy of 4-aminopyridine in GAA-FGF14 disease. FUNDING: This work was supported by the Clinician Scientist program "PRECISE.net" funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (to CW, AT, and MSy), the grant 779257 "Solve-RD" from the European's Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (to MSy), and the grant 01EO 1401 by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (to MSt). This work was also supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) N° 441409627, as part of the PROSPAX consortium under the frame of EJP RD, the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases, under the EJP RD COFUND-EJP N° 825575 (to MSy, BB and-as associated partner-SZ), the NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (grant 2R01NS072248-11A1 to SZ), the Fondation Groupe Monaco (to BB), and the Montreal General Hospital Foundation (grant PT79418 to BB). The Care4Rare Canada Consortium is funded in part by Genome Canada and the Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI-147 to KMB), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR GP1-155867 to KMB), Ontario Research Foundation, Genome Quebec, and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation. The funders had no role in the conduct of this study.


Fibroblast Growth Factors , Neurodegenerative Diseases , Nystagmus, Pathologic , Child , Humans , 4-Aminopyridine/therapeutic use , Neurodegenerative Diseases/drug therapy , Nystagmus, Pathologic/chemically induced , Nystagmus, Pathologic/drug therapy , Ontario , Retrospective Studies
3.
Nat Rev Genet ; 2024 Jan 18.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38238519

Genomic technologies, such as targeted, exome and short-read genome sequencing approaches, have revolutionized the care of patients with rare genetic diseases. However, more than half of patients remain without a diagnosis. Emerging approaches from research-based settings such as long-read genome sequencing and optical genome mapping hold promise for improving the identification of disease-causal genetic variants. In addition, new omic technologies that measure the transcriptome, epigenome, proteome or metabolome are showing great potential for variant interpretation. As genetic testing options rapidly expand, the clinical community needs to be mindful of their individual strengths and limitations, as well as remaining challenges, to select the appropriate diagnostic test, correctly interpret results and drive innovation to address insufficiencies. If used effectively - through truly integrative multi-omics approaches and data sharing - the resulting large quantities of data from these established and emerging technologies will greatly improve the interpretative power of genetic and genomic diagnostics for rare diseases.

4.
J Clin Invest ; 134(1)2024 Jan 02.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37962958

Pre-mRNA splicing is a highly coordinated process. While its dysregulation has been linked to neurological deficits, our understanding of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remains limited. We implicated pathogenic variants in U2AF2 and PRPF19, encoding spliceosome subunits in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), by identifying 46 unrelated individuals with 23 de novo U2AF2 missense variants (including 7 recurrent variants in 30 individuals) and 6 individuals with de novo PRPF19 variants. Eight U2AF2 variants dysregulated splicing of a model substrate. Neuritogenesis was reduced in human neurons differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells carrying two U2AF2 hyper-recurrent variants. Neural loss of function (LoF) of the Drosophila orthologs U2af50 and Prp19 led to lethality, abnormal mushroom body (MB) patterning, and social deficits, which were differentially rescued by wild-type and mutant U2AF2 or PRPF19. Transcriptome profiling revealed splicing substrates or effectors (including Rbfox1, a third splicing factor), which rescued MB defects in U2af50-deficient flies. Upon reanalysis of negative clinical exomes followed by data sharing, we further identified 6 patients with NDD who carried RBFOX1 missense variants which, by in vitro testing, showed LoF. Our study implicates 3 splicing factors as NDD-causative genes and establishes a genetic network with hierarchy underlying human brain development and function.


Neurodevelopmental Disorders , Spliceosomes , Humans , Spliceosomes/genetics , Gene Regulatory Networks , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics , Mutation, Missense , RNA Splicing , RNA Splicing Factors/genetics , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , DNA Repair Enzymes/genetics
5.
Am J Med Genet A ; 194(3): e63466, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37949664

Activating variants in the PIK3CA gene cause a heterogeneous spectrum of disorders that involve congenital or early-onset segmental/focal overgrowth, now referred to as PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS). Historically, the clinical diagnoses of patients with PROS included a range of distinct syndromes, including CLOVES syndrome, dysplastic megalencephaly, hemimegalencephaly, focal cortical dysplasia, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, CLAPO syndrome, fibroadipose hyperplasia or overgrowth, hemihyperplasia multiple lipomatosis, and megalencephaly capillary malformation-polymicrogyria (MCAP) syndrome. MCAP is a sporadic overgrowth disorder that exhibits core features of progressive megalencephaly, vascular malformations, distal limb malformations, cortical brain malformations, and connective tissue dysplasia. In 2012, our research group contributed to the identification of predominantly mosaic, gain-of-function variants in PIK3CA as an underlying genetic cause of the syndrome. Mosaic variants are technically more difficult to detect and require implementation of more sensitive sequencing technologies and less stringent variant calling algorithms. In this study, we demonstrated the utility of deep sequencing using the Illumina TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) sequencing panel in identifying variants with low allele fractions in a series of patients with PROS and suspected mosaicism: pathogenic, mosaic PIK3CA variants were identified in all 13 individuals, including 6 positive controls. This study highlights the importance of screening for low-level mosaic variants in PROS patients. The use of targeted panels with deep sequencing in clinical genetic testing laboratories would improve diagnostic yield and accuracy within this patient population.


Abnormalities, Multiple , Megalencephaly , Musculoskeletal Abnormalities , Skin Diseases, Vascular , Telangiectasis/congenital , Vascular Malformations , Humans , Mutation , Musculoskeletal Abnormalities/genetics , Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Vascular Malformations/diagnosis , Vascular Malformations/genetics , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
6.
J Hum Genet ; 69(2): 101-105, 2024 Feb.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37904029

Partial duplications of genes can be challenging to detect and interpret and, therefore, likely represent an underreported cause of human disease. X-linked dominant variants in ATRX are associated with Alpha-thalassemia/impaired intellectual development syndrome, X-linked (ATR-X syndrome), a clinically heterogeneous disease generally presenting with intellectual disability, hypotonia, characteristic facies, genital anomalies, and alpha-thalassemia. We describe an affected male with a de novo hemizygous intragenic duplication of ~43.6 kb in ATRX, detected by research genome sequencing following non-diagnostic clinical testing. RNA sequencing and DNA methylation episignature analyses were central in variant interpretation, and this duplication was subsequently interpreted as disease-causing. This represents the smallest reported tandem duplication within ATRX associated with disease. This case demonstrates the diagnostic utility of integrating multiple omics technologies, which can ultimately lead to a definitive diagnosis for rare disease patients.


Intellectual Disability , Mental Retardation, X-Linked , alpha-Thalassemia , Humans , Male , alpha-Thalassemia/diagnosis , alpha-Thalassemia/genetics , X-linked Nuclear Protein/genetics , DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics , Mental Retardation, X-Linked/diagnosis , Mental Retardation, X-Linked/genetics , Intellectual Disability/diagnosis , Intellectual Disability/genetics
9.
Am J Med Genet A ; 194(3): e63455, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37921537

Our understanding of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity associated with the clinical spectrum of rare diseases continues to expand. Thorough phenotypic descriptions and model organism functional studies are valuable tools in dissecting the biology of the disease process. Kinesin genes are well known to be associated with specific disease phenotypes and a subset of kinesin genes, including KIF21A, have been associated with more than one disease. Here we report two patients with KIF21A variants identified by exome sequencing; one with biallelic variants, supporting a novel KIF21A related syndrome with recessive inheritance and the second report of this condition, and another with a heterozygous de novo variant allele representing a phenotypic expansion of the condition described to date. We provide detailed phenotypic information on both families, including a novel neuropathology finding of neuroaxonal dystrophy associated with biallelic variants in KIF21A. Additionally, we studied the dominant variant in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to assess variant pathogenicity and found that this variant appears to impair protein function. KIF21A associated disease has mounting evidence for phenotypic heterogeneity; further patients and study of an allelic series are required to define the phenotypic spectrum and further explore the molecular etiology for each of these conditions.


Kinesins , Nervous System Diseases , Humans , Kinesins/genetics , Phenotype , Mutation
10.
Am J Med Genet A ; 194(5): e63522, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38131126

Despite significant advancements in rare genetic disease diagnostics, many patients with rare genetic disease remain without a molecular diagnosis. Novel tools and methods are needed to improve the detection of disease-associated variants and understand the genetic basis of many rare diseases. Long-read genome sequencing provides improved sequencing in highly repetitive, homologous, and low-complexity regions, and improved assessment of structural variation and complex genomic rearrangements compared to short-read genome sequencing. As such, it is a promising method to explore overlooked genetic variants in rare diseases with a high suspicion of a genetic basis. We therefore applied PacBio HiFi sequencing in a large multi-generational family presenting with autosomal dominant 46,XY differences of sexual development (DSD), for whom extensive molecular testing over multiple decades had failed to identify a molecular diagnosis. This revealed a rare SINE-VNTR-Alu retroelement insertion in intron 4 of NR5A1, a gene in which loss-of-function variants are an established cause of 46,XY DSD. The insertion segregated among affected family members and was associated with loss-of-expression of alleles in cis, demonstrating a functional impact on NR5A1. This case highlights the power of long-read genome sequencing to detect genomic variants that have previously been intractable to detection by standard short-read genomic testing.


Disorder of Sex Development, 46,XY , Retroelements , Humans , Mutation , Introns/genetics , Retroelements/genetics , Disorder of Sex Development, 46,XY/genetics , Rare Diseases/genetics , Sexual Development , Steroidogenic Factor 1/genetics
11.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 7054, 2023 11 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37923733

Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a vitamin K-dependent post-translationally modified protein, highly expressed in vascular and cartilaginous tissues. It is a potent inhibitor of extracellular matrix mineralization. Biallelic loss-of-function variants in the MGP gene cause Keutel syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by widespread calcification of various cartilaginous tissues and skeletal and vascular anomalies. In this study, we report four individuals from two unrelated families with two heterozygous variants in MGP, both altering the cysteine 19 residue to phenylalanine or tyrosine. These individuals present with a spondyloepiphyseal skeletal dysplasia characterized by short stature with a short trunk, diffuse platyspondyly, midface retrusion, progressive epiphyseal anomalies and brachytelephalangism. We investigated the cellular and molecular effects of one of the heterozygous deleterious variants (C19F) using both cell and genetically modified mouse models. Heterozygous 'knock-in' mice expressing C19F MGP recapitulate most of the skeletal anomalies observed in the affected individuals. Our results suggest that the main underlying mechanism leading to the observed skeletal dysplasia is endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis of the growth plate chondrocytes. Overall, our findings support that heterozygous variants in MGP altering the Cys19 residue cause autosomal dominant spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, a condition distinct from Keutel syndrome both clinically and molecularly.


Mucopolysaccharidosis IV , Osteochondrodysplasias , Animals , Humans , Mice , Calcium-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Extracellular Matrix Proteins/genetics , Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism , Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics , Matrix Gla Protein
12.
medRxiv ; 2023 Aug 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37577458

The cause of downbeat nystagmus (DBN) remains unknown in approximately 30% of patients (idiopathic DBN). Here, we hypothesized that: (i) FGF14 (GAA) ≥250 repeat expansions represent a frequent genetic cause of idiopathic DBN syndromes, (ii) are treatable with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and (iii) FGF14 (GAA) 200-249 alleles are potentially pathogenic. We conducted a multi-modal cohort study of 170 patients with idiopathic DBN that comprised: in-depth ocular motor, neurological, and disease evolution phenotyping; assessment of 4-AP treatment response, including re-analysis of placebo-controlled video-oculography treatment response data from a previous randomized double-blind 4-AP trial; and genotyping of the FGF14 repeat. Frequency of FGF14 (GAA) ≥250 expansions was 48% (82/170) in the entire idiopathic DBN cohort. Additional cerebellar ocular motor signs were observed in 100% (82/82), cerebellar ataxia in 43% (35/82), and extracerebellar features in 21% (17/82) of (GAA) ≥250 - FGF14 patients. Alleles of 200 to 249 GAA repeats were enriched in patients with DBN (12%; 20/170) compared to controls (0.87%; 19/2,191; OR, 15.20; 95% CI, 7.52-30.80; p =9.876e-14). The phenotype of (GAA) 200-249 - FGF14 patients closely mirrored that of (GAA) ≥250 - FGF14 patients. (GAA) ≥250 - FGF14 and (GAA) 200-249 - FGF14 patients had a significantly greater clinician-reported (80% vs 31%; p =0.0011) and self-reported (59% vs 11%; p =0.0003) response rate to 4-AP treatment compared to (GAA) <200 - FGF14 patients. This included a treatment response with high relevance to everyday living, as exemplified by an improvement of 2 FARS stages in some cases. Placebo-controlled video-oculography data of four (GAA) ≥250 - FGF14 patients previously enrolled in a 4-AP randomized double-blind trial showed a significant decrease in slow phase velocity of DBN with 4-AP, but not placebo. This study shows that FGF14 GAA repeat expansions are a highly frequent genetic cause of DBN syndromes, especially when associated with additional cerebellar features. Moreover, they genetically stratify a subgroup of patients with DBN that appear to be highly responsive to 4-AP, thus paving the way for a "theranostics" approach in DBN syndromes.

13.
Am J Med Genet A ; 191(12): 2878-2883, 2023 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37621218

Lissencephaly type 10 is a recently reported condition characterized by posterior predominant abnormalities in gyration with associated seizures, developmental delays or intellectual disability. We report a boy who presented at 5 years of age with epilepsy and developmental delays. His family history was notable for epilepsy in two prior generations associated with variable developmental and cognitive impact. Exome sequencing identified a novel missense variant in CEP85L [NM_001042475.2; c.196A>G, p.(Thr66Ala)] which segregated in four affected family members across three generations. Brain imaging of the proband demonstrated a posterior lissencephaly pattern with pachygyria, while other affected family members demonstrated a similar subcortical band heterotopia. This report expands the phenotypic spectrum of this rare disorder by describing a novel variant in CEP85L in a family with variable clinical and neuroimaging findings.


Classical Lissencephalies and Subcortical Band Heterotopias , Epilepsy , Lissencephaly , Male , Humans , Lissencephaly/diagnostic imaging , Lissencephaly/genetics , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Mutation, Missense , Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics , Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
14.
Genet Med ; 25(11): 100948, 2023 11.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37551668

PURPOSE: Exome and genome sequencing have rapidly transitioned from research methods to widely used clinical tests for diagnosing rare genetic diseases. We sought to synthesize the topics covered and appraise the development processes of clinical guidance documents generated by genetics professional organizations. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of guidance documents published since 2010, systematically identified in peer-reviewed and gray literature, using established methods and reporting guidelines. We coded verbatim recommendations by topic using content analysis and critically appraised documents using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. RESULTS: We identified 30 guidance documents produced by 8 organizations (2012-2022), yielding 611 recommendations covering 21 topics. The most common topic related to findings beyond the primary testing indication. Mean AGREE II scores were low across all 6 quality domains; scores for items related to rigor of development were among the lowest. More recently published documents generally received higher scores. CONCLUSION: Guidance documents included a broad range of recommendations but were of low quality, particularly in their rigor of development. Developers should consider using tools such as AGREE II and basing recommendations on living knowledge syntheses to improve guidance development in this evolving space.


Exome , Societies , Humans , Exome/genetics , Chromosome Mapping
15.
Clin Ther ; 45(8): 702-709, 2023 Aug.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37453830

PURPOSE: Although costly, genome-wide sequencing (GWS) detects an extensive range of variants, enhancing our ability to diagnose and assess risk for an increasing number of diseases. In addition to detecting variants related to the indication for testing, GWS can detect secondary variants in BRCA1, BRCA2, and other genes for which early intervention may improve health. As the list of secondary findings grows, there is increased demand for surveillance and management by multiple specialists, adding pressure to constrained health care budgets. Secondary finding testing is actively debated because some consider it opportunistic screening for future health risks that may not manifest. Given the economic implications of secondary finding testing and follow-up and its unproven clinical utility, the objective is to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of secondary finding ascertainment per case detected and per unit of improved clinical utility in families of children with unexplained suspected genetic conditions undergoing clinical GWS. METHODS: Those undergoing trio genome or exome sequencing are eligible for the study. Positive secondary finding index cases will be matched to negative controls (1:2) based on age group, primary result(s) type, and clinical indication. During the 2-year study, 71 cases and 142 matched controls are expected. Health service use will be collected in patients and 1 adult family member every 6 months. The per-child and per-dyad total cost will be determined by multiplying use of each resource by a corresponding unit price and summing all cost items. Costs will be estimated from the public and societal payer perspectives. The mean cost per child and per dyad for secondary finding-positive and secondary finding-negative groups will be compared statistically. If important demographic differences are observed between groups, ordinary least-squares regression, log transformation, or other nonparametric technique will be used to compare adjusted mean costs. The ratio of the difference in mean cost to the secondary finding yield will be used to estimate incremental cost-effectiveness. In secondary analyses, effectiveness will be estimated using the number of clinical management changes due to secondary findings or the Clinician-Reported Genetic Testing Utility Index (C-GUIDE) score, a validated measure of clinical utility. Sensitivity analysis will be undertaken to assess the robustness of the findings to variation in key parameters. IMPLICATIONS: This study generates key evidence to inform clinical practice and funding allocation related to secondary finding testing. The inclusion of family members and a new measure of clinical utility represent important advancements in economic evaluation in genomics.

16.
bioRxiv ; 2023 Jun 30.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37425777

The factors driving initiation of pathological expansion of tandem repeats remain largely unknown. Here, we assessed the FGF14 -SCA27B (GAA)•(TTC) repeat locus in 2,530 individuals by long-read and Sanger sequencing and identified a 5'-flanking 17-bp deletion-insertion in 70.34% of alleles (3,463/4,923). This common sequence variation was present nearly exclusively on alleles with fewer than 30 GAA-pure repeats and was associated with enhanced meiotic stability of the repeat locus.

17.
Mol Genet Genomic Med ; 11(10): e2247, 2023 Oct.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37489014

BACKGROUND: Intronic variants outside the canonical splice site are challenging to interpret and therefore likely represent an underreported cause of human disease. Autosomal recessive variants in DYNC2H1 are associated with short-rib thoracic dysplasia 3 with or without polydactyly (SRTD3), a clinically heterogeneous disease generally presenting with short ribs, shortened tubular bones, narrow thorax and acetabular roof anomalies. We describe a case of SRTD3 with compound heterozygous frameshift and intronic variants and highlight the essential role of RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) in variant interpretation. METHODS: Following inconclusive clinical genetic testing identifying a likely pathogenic frameshift variant and an intronic variant of uncertain significance (VUS) in DYNC2H1 in trans, the family enrolled in the Care4Rare Canada research program, where RNA-Seq studies were performed. RESULTS: The proband presented with post-axial polydactyly of all four limbs, a significantly small chest with a pectus excavatum and anterior flaring of the ribs. RNA-Seq investigations revealed a novel splice junction as a result of the intronic VUS and significantly decreased DYNC2H1 gene expression in the proband. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the diagnostic utility of RNA-Seq for variant interpretation following inconclusive clinical testing, which can ultimately lead to diagnosis for patients with rare disease.

18.
Am J Med Genet A ; 191(8): 2188-2192, 2023 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37159433

PIEZO1 is required for lymphatic valve formation, and several lymphatic abnormalities have been reported to be associated with autosomal recessive PIEZO1 pathogenic variants including neonatal hydrops, lymphedema involving various body regions, and chylothorax. Persistent or recurrent chylothorax has been infrequently described in association with pathogenic variants in the PIEZO1 gene. We present a 4-year-old female with bilateral pleural effusions detected prenatally, who was diagnosed with bilateral chylothoraces post-partum. She subsequently had recurrent pleural effusions involving both pleural cavities, which tended to improve with restriction of her fat intake, and, one occasion, subcutaneous octreotide. She also had bilateral calf, and intermittent cheek swelling. Genetic testing revealed two deleterious variants in PIEZO1: c.2330-2_2330-1del and c.3860G > A (p.Trp1287*), both of which were classified as likely pathogenic. This supported a diagnosis of Lymphatic Malformation Type 6 (OMIM 616843), also known as Hereditary Lymphedema Type III. Hereditary Lymphedema type III can be associated with persistent chylothorax that can vary in size over time.


Chylothorax , Lymphedema , Pleural Effusion , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Female , Child, Preschool , Chylothorax/diagnosis , Chylothorax/genetics , Lymphedema/complications , Lymphedema/diagnosis , Lymphedema/genetics , Lymphangiogenesis , Ion Channels/genetics
19.
J Intern Med ; 294(4): 397-412, 2023 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37211972

Molecular diagnostics is a cornerstone of modern precision medicine, broadly understood as tailoring an individual's treatment, follow-up, and care based on molecular data. In rare diseases (RDs), molecular diagnoses reveal valuable information about the cause of symptoms, disease progression, familial risk, and in certain cases, unlock access to targeted therapies. Due to decreasing DNA sequencing costs, genome sequencing (GS) is emerging as the primary method for precision diagnostics in RDs. Several ongoing European initiatives for precision medicine have chosen GS as their method of choice. Recent research supports the role for GS as first-line genetic investigation in individuals with suspected RD, due to its improved diagnostic yield compared to other methods. Moreover, GS can detect a broad range of genetic aberrations including those in noncoding regions, producing comprehensive data that can be periodically reanalyzed for years to come when further evidence emerges. Indeed, targeted drug development and repurposing of medicines can be accelerated as more individuals with RDs receive a molecular diagnosis. Multidisciplinary teams in which clinical specialists collaborate with geneticists, genomics education of professionals and the public, and dialogue with patient advocacy groups are essential elements for the integration of precision medicine into clinical practice worldwide. It is also paramount that large research projects share genetic data and leverage novel technologies to fully diagnose individuals with RDs. In conclusion, GS increases diagnostic yields and is a crucial step toward precision medicine for RDs. Its clinical implementation will enable better patient management, unlock targeted therapies, and guide the development of innovative treatments.


Precision Medicine , Rare Diseases , Humans , Precision Medicine/methods , Rare Diseases/diagnosis , Rare Diseases/genetics , Rare Diseases/therapy , Genomics/methods , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Disease Progression
20.
Pharmacoeconomics ; 41(7): 803-818, 2023 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37029233

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Rare diseases place a significant burden on patients, families, the healthcare system, and society. Evidence on the socioeconomic burden of rare disease is limited and mostly reflects diseases where treatments are available. We developed a framework encompassing recommended cost elements for studies of the socioeconomic burden of rare diseases. METHODS: A scoping review, conducted in five databases (Cochrane Library, EconLit, Embase, MEDLINE, and APA PsycINFO), identified English language publications from 2000 to 2021 presenting frameworks developed for determining, measuring or valuing costs for rare or chronic diseases. Cost elements were extracted and used to develop a literature-informed framework. Structured feedback was gathered from experts in rare diseases, health economics/health services, and policy research to revise the framework. RESULTS: Of 2990 records identified, eight papers were included and informed our preliminary framework; three focused on rare disease and five on chronic disease. Following expert input, we developed a framework consisting of nine cost categories (inpatient, outpatient, community, healthcare products/goods, productivity/education, travel/accommodation, government benefits, family impacts, and other), with several cost elements within each category. Our framework includes unique costs, added from the expert feedback, including genetic testing to inform treatment, use of private laboratories or out-of-country testing, family involvement in foundations and organizations, and advocacy costs for special access programs. CONCLUSIONS: Our work is the first to identify a comprehensive list of cost elements for rare disease for use by researchers and policy makers to fully capture socioeconomic burden. Use of the framework will increase the quality and comparability of future studies. Future work should focus on measuring and valuing these costs through onset, diagnosis, and post-diagnosis.


Delivery of Health Care , Rare Diseases , Humans , Rare Diseases/therapy , Chronic Disease , Socioeconomic Factors
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