The decision-making process of pregnant individuals offered termination of pregnancy for serious congenital abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the decision-making process of patients with pregnancies affected by serious congenital abnormalities. METHODS: The study design was an exploratory qualitative study. The sample for this study was pregnant individuals who had a prenatal diagnosis of a serious congenital abnormality and were offered termination of pregnancy. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with closed and open-ended questions, recorded and transcribed verbatim, were used to collect the data; this was then analyzed using a thematic data analysis approach. RESULTS: Five topics were developed: "Health care services", "Home", "Being a mother", "Finding meaning", and "The aftermath". The first four topics describe the decision-making process where the participants filtered through multiple factors to reach their final decision. Although the participants consulted with their families, partners, and community, they made the final decision themselves. The final topics describes activities which were necessary for closure and coping. CONCLUSION: This study has provided valuable insight into the decision-making process, which can be used to improve services offered to patients. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Information should be communicated clearly with follow-up appointments to discuss further. Healthcare professional should show empathy and assure the participants that their decision is supported.

ABL1-related congenital heart defects and skeletal malformations syndrome in a patient from Sub-Saharan Africa: A case report highlighting novel cardiac features.

Congenital heart defects and skeletal malformations syndrome (CHDSKM; OMIM #617602) is a rare syndrome characterized by distinctive facial features, congenital cardiac lesions, failure to thrive, and skeletal abnormalities. Hearing impairment, renal, and ophthalmological abnormalities have also recently been reported. We report here the clinical and molecular phenotype of an adolescent male who presented with multisystem involvement suggestive of a connective tissue disorder. The proband presented with the typical dysmorphic, skeletal, and skin findings of CHDSKM. In addition, he had several features not previously documented, including severe and rapidly progressive aortic root dilatation as well gastro-intestinal reflux secondary to esophageal dysmotility with gastric strictures. Genetic testing revealed a recurrent variant in the ABL1 gene, c.1066G>A, p.Ala356Thr. These novel features contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding this rare and recently described condition as well as lend strength to previous calls for close surveillance of the aortic root from a young age in CHDSKM.

Survival rates and outcomes of pregnancies with prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 18: A 16-year experience from a public hospital in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies, largely from high-income countries (HIC), have reported outcomes in babies with trisomy 18 (T18), with a paucity of data from Africa. Knowledge of outcomes is important in counselling women prenatally diagnosed with T18. We aimed to review all prenatally diagnosed cases of T18 between January 2006 and December 2021. METHOD: Demographic data, diagnosis, gestation and outcome data were obtained from the Astraia® database and patient files. RESULTS: We included 88 pregnant women of whom 46 terminated their pregnancies (30 beyond 24 weeks' gestation). Three underwent foeticides, one had a caesarean section for maternal obstetric reasons and 26 underwent inductions of labour without foetal monitoring. Four neonates were live born but none lived >8 h. In those who continued their pregnancies, the mean gestation at delivery was 34.8 weeks, 14 (33%) were live births and only 5 survived for >24 h with none surviving to 1 year of life. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, infants with T18 had lower live birth rates and shorter survival than in the current literature from HIC. This may be due to the implementation of non-aggressive intrapartum care and comfort care for the neonates. This has implications for counselling in our setting.

Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome: Presentation in the First Month of Life.

This web-based survey of 311 respondents from 25 countries provides additional information about the early presentation of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. Most (86%) infants present during the neonatal period, with 69% of these within 24 hours of life. Prolonged hospital stay is common (61%).

Cohort profile: the Western Cape Pregnancy Exposure Registry (WCPER).

PURPOSE: The Western Cape Pregnancy Exposure Registry (PER) was established at two public sector healthcare sentinel sites in the Western Cape province, South Africa, to provide ongoing surveillance of drug exposures in pregnancy and associations with pregnancy outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: Established in 2016, all women attending their first antenatal visit at primary care obstetric facilities were enrolled and followed to pregnancy outcome regardless of the site (ie, primary, secondary, tertiary facility). Routine operational obstetric and medical data are digitised from the clinical stationery at the healthcare facilities. Data collection has been integrated into existing services and information platforms and supports routine operations. The PER is situated within the Provincial Health Data Centre, an information exchange that harmonises and consolidates all health-related electronic data in the province. Data are contributed via linkage across a unique identifier. This relationship limits the missing data in the PER, allows validation and avoids misclassification in the population-level data set. FINDINGS TO DATE: Approximately 5000 and 3500 pregnant women enter the data set annually at the urban and rural sites, respectively. As of August 2021, >30 000 pregnancies have been recorded and outcomes have been determined for 93%. Analysis of key obstetric and neonatal health indicators derived from the PER are consistent with the aggregate data in the District Health Information System. FUTURE PLANS: This represents significant infrastructure, able to address clinical and epidemiological concerns in a low/middle-income setting.

Demonstrating the feasibility of digital health to support pediatric patients in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: Resources for management of epilepsy in Africa are extremely limited reinforcing the need to develop innovative strategies for optimizing care. Studies have shown that the prevalence of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries is substantially greater than in more resourced countries. The objective of this report was to demonstrate that mobile Health (mHealth) technologies have the potential to improve the management of epilepsy in Africa. METHODS: The feasibility of technology-based home monitoring was investigated in an observational study of 40 children with refractory epilepsy or epilepsy associated with intellectual disability and/or behavior difficulties in South Africa. Technology-based home monitoring was implemented for six months. Physical activity, sleep, and heart rate were continuously monitored with a wearable device. Caregivers completed regular mobile Patient Reported Outcomes (mPROs) and reported seizures and ad hoc events using a dedicated app. Feasibility was assessed and descriptively measured for recruitment, retention, and engagement of the participants. RESULTS: The mHealth technology was able to capture important information that gives an impression of the overall experience of the children and their caregivers. Thirty-seven participants (94.9%) reported at least one clinical event. Seventy-nine percent of caregivers reported seizure events in their children, which were the primary event anticipated. Median engagement with the wearable device and monthly mPROs was 30.8% and 57.1%, respectively. However, most participants (87%) had to be given smartphones for them to have Bluetooth capabilities and access to the study app. Tolerability to the device was impacted by the difficult living circumstances of caregivers that induced fear of loss or theft. SIGNIFICANCE: The study showed how the use of remote patient monitoring in the form of mHealth can benefit epilepsy patients, despite highly variable engagement with the technology. The combination of mPROs and wearable devices generated informative datasets that will allow clinicians but also the children and their caregivers to better understand and manage the disease.

A qualitative study exploring caregivers' experiences, perspectives, and expectations for precision medicine in epilepsy in South Africa.

PURPOSE: Successful implementation of innovative Precision Medicine initiatives in the management of children with complex epilepsy is largely dependent on the caregivers' engagement with the technology as well as its accessibility and acceptability. We investigated the feasibility of implementing these initiatives in the South African setting by gathering information on the caregivers' experiences, perspectives, and expectations for Precision Management of Epilepsy (PME) initiatives. METHODS: We purposively recruited 12 participants from a cohort of 40 caregivers of children with complex epilepsy recruited for a PME study attending Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) in Cape Town, South Africa. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted using a pragmatic qualitative approach and themes were extracted using a thematic framework approach. RESULTS: All participants had ideas about the cause of epilepsy, but many did not think that epilepsy is a medical condition. There were several difficulties in adhering to medical treatment which was sometimes combined with traditional remedies and practices. Understanding of Precision Medicine in the context of research was limited and although participants were unclear about benefits, most were optimistic about the future. mHealth devices introduced new feelings and challenges for many participants. The four themes which emerged were: (1) Cause of epilepsy: uncertainty and conflicting views; (2) Need for healing; (3) PME mHealth devices; and (4) Feasibility of implementation of PME initiatives. CONCLUSION: For Precision Medicine to be widely accepted and beneficial, how people understand the cause of epilepsy, difficulties in adherence to treatment, and personal experiences need to be addressed.

Renal disease in Cockayne syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cockayne Syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive multi-systemic disorder, characterized; by developmental delay, microcephaly, severe growth failure and sensorial impairment. Renal complications have been reported but remain underinvestigated. The objective of this study was to perform a review of renal disease in a cohort of CS patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected relevant clinical, biochemical and genetic data from a cohort of 136 genetically confirmed CS patients. Blood pressure (BP), proteinuria, albuminemia, uric acid, creatinine clearance, renal ultrasounds and renal biopsy result were analysed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients had a renal investigation. We found that 69% of investigated patients had a renal disorder and/or an elevated BP. Fifteen out of 21 patients (71% of investigated patients) had an increased BP, 10 out of 16 patients (62% of investigated patients) presented with proteinuria and 4 of them had a nephrotic syndrome. Thirteen patients out of 29 (45%) had a decreased Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), 18 out of 25 patients (72%) had a hyperuricemia. No correlation with the genetic background or clinical types of CS was found, except for the renal clearance. CONCLUSIONS: Renal disease, increased blood pressure and hyperuricemia were highly prevalent in our study. We believe that CS patients should benefit from a nephrological follow-up and that anti-uric acid drug and Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor should be discussed in these patients.

Turner syndrome in diverse populations.

Turner syndrome (TS) is a common multiple congenital anomaly syndrome resulting from complete or partial absence of the second X chromosome. In this study, we explore the phenotype of TS in diverse populations using clinical examination and facial analysis technology. Clinical data from 78 individuals and images from 108 individuals with TS from 19 different countries were analyzed. Individuals were grouped into categories of African descent (African), Asian, Latin American, Caucasian (European descent), and Middle Eastern. The most common phenotype features across all population groups were short stature (86%), cubitus valgus (76%), and low posterior hairline 70%. Two facial analysis technology experiments were conducted: TS versus general population and TS versus Noonan syndrome. Across all ethnicities, facial analysis was accurate in diagnosing TS from frontal facial images as measured by the area under the curve (AUC). An AUC of 0.903 (p < .001) was found for TS versus general population controls and 0.925 (p < .001) for TS versus individuals with Noonan syndrome. In summary, we present consistent clinical findings from global populations with TS and additionally demonstrate that facial analysis technology can accurately distinguish TS from the general population and Noonan syndrome.

Birth outcomes following antiretroviral exposure during pregnancy: Initial results from a pregnancy exposure registry in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: In 2013, a pregnancy exposure registry and birth defects surveillance (PER/BDS) system was initiated in eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), to assess the impact of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on birth outcomes. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the first year, we assessed the risk of major congenital malformations (CM) and other adverse birth outcomes (ABOs) detected at birth, in children born to women exposed to ART during pregnancy. METHOD: Data were collected from women who delivered at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, Durban, from 07 October 2013 to 06 October 2014, using medicine exposure histories and birth outcomes from maternal interviews, clinical records and neonatal surface examination. Singleton births exposed to only one ART regimen were included in bivariable analysis for CM risk and multivariate risk analysis for ABO risk. RESULTS: Data were collected from 10 417 women with 10 517 birth outcomes (4013 [38.5%] HIV-infected). Congenital malformations rates in births exposed to Efavirenz during the first trimester (T1) (RR 0.87 [95% CI 0.12-6.4; p = 0.895]) were similar to births not exposed to ART during T1. However, T1 exposure to Nevirapine was associated with the increased risk of CM (RR 9.28 [95% CI 2.3-37.9; p = 0.002]) when compared to the same group. Other ABOs were more frequent in the combination of HIV/ART-exposed births compared to HIV-unexposed births (29.9% vs. 26.0%, adjusted RR 1.23 [1.14-1.31; p < 0.001]). CONCLUSION: No association between T1 use of EFV-based ART regimens and CM was observed. Associations between T1 NVP-based ART regimen and CM need further investigation. HIV- and ART-exposed infants had more ABOs compared to HIV-unexposed infants.

Enabling Global Clinical Collaborations on Identifiable Patient Data: The Minerva Initiative.

The clinical utility of computational phenotyping for both genetic and rare diseases is increasingly appreciated; however, its true potential is yet to be fully realized. Alongside the growing clinical and research availability of sequencing technologies, precise deep and scalable phenotyping is required to serve unmet need in genetic and rare diseases. To improve the lives of individuals affected with rare diseases through deep phenotyping, global big data interrogation is necessary to aid our understanding of disease biology, assist diagnosis, and develop targeted treatment strategies. This includes the application of cutting-edge machine learning methods to image data. As with most digital tools employed in health care, there are ethical and data governance challenges associated with using identifiable personal image data. There are also risks with failing to deliver on the patient benefits of these new technologies, the biggest of which is posed by data siloing. The Minerva Initiative has been designed to enable the public good of deep phenotyping while mitigating these ethical risks. Its open structure, enabling collaboration and data sharing between individuals, clinicians, researchers and private enterprise, is key for delivering precision public health.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome in diverse populations.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a dominant multisystemic malformation syndrome due to mutations in five genes-NIPBL, SMC1A, HDAC8, SMC3, and RAD21. The characteristic facial dysmorphisms include microcephaly, arched eyebrows, synophrys, short nose with depressed bridge and anteverted nares, long philtrum, thin lips, micrognathia, and hypertrichosis. Most affected individuals have intellectual disability, growth deficiency, and upper limb anomalies. This study looked at individuals from diverse populations with both clinical and molecularly confirmed diagnoses of CdLS by facial analysis technology. Clinical data and images from 246 individuals with CdLS were obtained from 15 countries. This cohort included 49% female patients and ages ranged from infancy to 37 years. Individuals were grouped into ancestry categories of African descent, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and Caucasian. Across these populations, 14 features showed a statistically significant difference. The most common facial features found in all ancestry groups included synophrys, short nose with anteverted nares, and a long philtrum with thin vermillion of the upper lip. Using facial analysis technology we compared 246 individuals with CdLS to 246 gender/age matched controls and found that sensitivity was equal or greater than 95% for all groups. Specificity was equal or greater than 91%. In conclusion, we present consistent clinical findings from global populations with CdLS while demonstrating how facial analysis technology can be a tool to support accurate diagnoses in the clinical setting. This work, along with prior studies in this arena, will assist in earlier detection, recognition, and treatment of CdLS worldwide.

The First Case of Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa.

This report describes the first case of a child with genetically confirmed Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa. This is an extremely rare clinical condition that presents with an auditory neuropathy, bulbar palsy, stridor, muscle weakness, and respiratory compromise that manifests with diaphragmatic and vocal cord paralysis. It is an autosomal recessive condition for which the genetic mutation has only recently been linked to a riboflavin transporter deficiency. We describe an 11-month-old affected male infant. He has required long-term respiratory support and a gastrostomy tube to support feeding. With high-dose riboflavin supplementation, he had limited recovery of motor function. His respiratory chain enzyme studies were abnormal suggestive of mitochondrial (mt) dysfunction. In the setting of limited resources, recognition of this striking clinical phenotype is important to highlight, specifically regarding the genetic implications of the condition and the potentially remedial response to vitamin supplementation.

Williams-Beuren syndrome in diverse populations.

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a common microdeletion syndrome characterized by a 1.5Mb deletion in 7q11.23. The phenotype of WBS has been well described in populations of European descent with not as much attention given to other ethnicities. In this study, individuals with WBS from diverse populations were assessed clinically and by facial analysis technology. Clinical data and images from 137 individuals with WBS were found in 19 countries with an average age of 11 years and female gender of 45%. The most common clinical phenotype elements were periorbital fullness and intellectual disability which were present in greater than 90% of our cohort. Additionally, 75% or greater of all individuals with WBS had malar flattening, long philtrum, wide mouth, and small jaw. Using facial analysis technology, we compared 286 Asian, African, Caucasian, and Latin American individuals with WBS with 286 gender and age matched controls and found that the accuracy to discriminate between WBS and controls was 0.90 when the entire cohort was evaluated concurrently. The test accuracy of the facial recognition technology increased significantly when the cohort was analyzed by specific ethnic population (P-value < 0.001 for all comparisons), with accuracies for Caucasian, African, Asian, and Latin American groups of 0.92, 0.96, 0.92, and 0.93, respectively. In summary, we present consistent clinical findings from global populations with WBS and demonstrate how facial analysis technology can support clinicians in making accurate WBS diagnoses.

Osteogenesis imperfecta type 3 in South Africa: Causative mutations in FKBP10.

BACKGROUND: A relatively high frequency of autosomal recessively inherited osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type 3 (OI-3) is present in the indigenous black southern African population. Affected persons may be severely handicapped as a result of frequent fractures, progressive deformity of the tubular bones and spinal malalignment. OBJECTIVE: To delineate the molecular basis for the condition. METHODS: Molecular investigations were performed on 91 affected persons from seven diverse ethnolinguistic groups in this population. RESULTS: Following polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct cycle sequencing, FKBP10 mutations were identified in 45.1% (41/91) OI-3-affected persons. The homozygous FKBP10 c.831dupC frameshift mutation was confirmed in 35 affected individuals in the study cohort. Haplotype analysis suggests that this mutation is identical among these OI-3-affected persons by descent, thereby confirming that they had a common ancestor. Compound heterozygosity of this founder mutation was observed, in combination with three different deleterious FKBP10 mutations, in six additional persons in the cohort. Four of these individuals had the c.831delC mutation. CONCLUSION: The burden of the disorder, both in frequency and severity, warrants the establishment of a dedicated service for molecular diagnostic confirmation and genetic management of persons and families with OI in southern Africa.

Biallelic BRCA2 mutations in two black South African children with Fanconi anaemia.

Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a genotypically and phenotypically heterogeneous genetic condition, characterized cytogenetically by chromosomal instability and breakage secondary to impaired DNA repair mechanisms. Affected individuals typically manifest growth restriction and congenital physical abnormalities and most progress to hematological disease including bone marrow aplasia. A rare genetic subtype of FA (FA-D1) is caused by biallelic mutations in the BRCA2 gene. Affected individuals manifest severe congenital anomalies and significant pigmentary changes and are additionally at risk for early onset leukemia and certain solid organ malignancies, including Wilms tumors and brain tumors. Parents of affected individuals are obligate carriers for heterozygous BRCA2 mutations and are thus potentially at risk for adult onset cancers which fall within the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer spectrum. We present two cases of black South African patients with FA diagnosed with biallelic BRCA2 mutations and discuss the phenotypic consequences and implications for them and their families. Recognition of this severe end of the phenotypic spectrum of FA is critical in allowing for confirmation of the diagnosis as well as cascade screening and appropriate care of family members.

Novel LMNA mutations cause an aggressive atypical neonatal progeria without progerin accumulation.

BACKGROUND: Progeroid syndromes are genetic disorders that recapitulate some phenotypes of physiological ageing. Classical progerias, such as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), are generally caused by mutations in LMNA leading to accumulation of the toxic protein progerin and consequently, to nuclear envelope alterations. In this work, we describe a novel phenotypic feature of the progeria spectrum affecting three unrelated newborns and identify its genetic cause. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients reported herein present an extremely homogeneous phenotype that somewhat recapitulates those of patients with HGPS and mandibuloacral dysplasia. However, pathological signs appear earlier, are more aggressive and present distinctive features including episodes of severe upper airway obstruction. Exome and Sanger sequencing allowed the identification of heterozygous de novo c.163G>A, p.E55K and c.164A>G, p.E55G mutations in LMNA as the alterations responsible for this disorder. Functional analyses demonstrated that fibroblasts from these patients suffer important dysfunctions in nuclear lamina, which generate profound nuclear envelope abnormalities but without progerin accumulation. These nuclear alterations found in patients' dermal fibroblasts were also induced by ectopic expression of the corresponding site-specific LMNA mutants in control human fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the causal role of p.E55K and p.E55G lamin A mutations in a disorder which manifests novel phenotypic features of the progeria spectrum characterised by neonatal presentation and aggressive clinical evolution, despite being caused by lamin A/C missense mutations with effective prelamin A processing.

A clinical and molecular investigation of two South African families with Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS) is an X-linked recessive overgrowth syndrome manifesting primarily in boys and characterised by macrosomia, distinctive facial features and multiple congenital abnormalities. Although this rare condition is thought to be underdiagnosed, making a diagnosis is important as affected boys have a 7.5% risk of developing visceral tumours and surveillance is warranted. Mutations in GPC3 are found in up to 70% of boys affected with SGBS. OBJECTIVES: A clinical and molecular investigation of two boys with SGBS, probands B and S, and their mothers. Documentation of the clinical phenotype could assist with diagnosis in affected boys and will lead to early initiation of tumour surveillance. METHODS: Hospital folders were reviewed and clinical consultations arranged for both probands and their mothers. Molecular investigations initially searched for whole-exon deletions in GPC3 followed by gene sequencing. RESULTS: The clinical phenotype of both probands was consistent with that previously reported in the literature. The main features pointing towards the diagnosis were macrosomia, coarse facial features and macroglossia with a midline groove in the tongue. Proband B developed a Wilms tumour. He was found to have a novel mutation causing a premature stop codon. CONCLUSIONS: This research represents the first published report of SGBS in South Africa. Early recognition and confirmation of this condition is important in order to institute tumour surveillance and assist families with accurate recurrence risks.

Novel Zeb2 gene variation in the Mowat Wilson syndrome (MWS).

BACKGROUND: Mowat Wilson syndrome (MWS) is an uncommon association of Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). Phenotypic features may develop with time, causing initial difficulties in diagnosis. MWS results from haploinsufficiency of the Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) gene, and molecular diagnosis of ZEB2 mutation is required to confirm the diagnosis. We report the first confirmed cases of MWS in three children with the typical facial features, mental retardation, absent corpus callosum, epilepsy, and HSCR and novel Zeb2 variations on DNA analysis. METHODOLOGY: Clinical features were monitored. DNA extracted from peripheral blood was subjected to bidirectional sequencing analysis following PCR DNA amplification. ZEB2 gene results were compared to the ZEB2 reference sequence (ENS00000169554) for variation. Bioinformatic investigation of novel gene variants was via the "Blastx" program function available via the National Center for Biotechnology Information (http://www.bioinfo.org/NPInter/blast/blast_link.cgi). RESULTS: Clinical follow-up showed that the phenotypic features were not all present at birth but developed with time in 2 surviving patients. Several Zeb2 variations were detected in the promoter region of the ZEB2 gene of which 2 were novel (-56A/T 1174 11A/12A). In addition, a novel heterozygous single nucleotide insertion in exon 2 of ZEB2 in one patient results in a frameshift causing deletion of the first 8 amino acids of the ZEB2 protein and an alteration of amino acids 9 (G9A), 11 (R11G), and 12 (C12A). In the third patient, a novel single nucleotide deletion exon 8 (1784delC Het) results in a frameshift at amino acid 595 of translated protein. This shortens protein from 1214 to 594 amino acids and affects the functionality of the critical ZEB2 protein. CONCLUSIONS: MWS is an important link to recognise clinically. It underlines the functionality of the Zeb2 gene in certain syndromic Hirschsprung's disease. These variations probably contribute to the clinical features of the Mowat Wilson phenotype in Hirschsprung's disease but should be confirmed in further research.

Implications of direct-to-consumer whole-exome sequencing in South Africa.

This editorial examines a number of vitally important ethical, legal and scientific concerns that have to be addressed to ensure proper and ethical implementation of direct-to-consumer whole-exome sequencing in South Africa. Individuals taking part in this endeavour must be fully informed of the positive and negative sequelae.