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Hurlimann T, Jaitovich Groisman I, Godard B. Exploring neurologists' perspectives on the return of next generation sequencing results to their patients: a needed step in the development of guidelines. BMC Med Ethics 2018; 19:81. [PMID: 30268121 PMCID: PMC6162934 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-018-0320-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The use of Next Generation Sequencing such as Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is a promising step towards a better understanding and treatment of neurological diseases. WGS can result into unexpected information (incidental findings, IFs), and information with uncertain clinical significance. In the context of a Genome Canada project on ‘Personalized Medicine in the Treatment of Epilepsy’, we intended to address these challenges surveying neurologists’ opinions about the type of results that should be returned, and their professional responsibility toward recontacting patients regarding new discovered mutations. Methods Potential participants were contacted through professional organizations or direct invitations. Results A total of 204 neurologists were recruited. Fifty nine percent indicated that to be conveyed, WGS results should have a demonstrated clinical utility for diagnosis, prognosis or treatment. Yet, 41% deemed appropriate to return results without clinical utility, when they could impact patients’ reproductive decisions, or on patients’ request. Current use of targeted genetic testing and age of patients influenced respondents’ answers. Respondents stated that analysis of genomics data resulting from WGS should be limited to the genes likely to be relevant for the patient’s specific medical condition (69%), so as to limit IFs. Respondents felt responsible to recontact patients and inform them about newly discovered mutations related to the medical condition that triggered the test (75%) for as long as they are following up on the patient (55%). Finally, 53.5% of the respondents felt responsible to recontact and inform patients of clinically significant, newly discovered IFs. Conclusion Our results show the importance of formulating professional guidelines sensitive to the various – and sometimes opposite – viewpoints that may prevail within a same community of practice, as well as flexible so as to be attuned to the characteristics of the neurological conditions that triggered a WGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Hurlimann
- Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada.,Quebec Population Health Research Network, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Iris Jaitovich Groisman
- Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Béatrice Godard
- Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada. .,Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada. .,Quebec Population Health Research Network, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada.
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Jaitovich Groisman I, Hurlimann T, Shoham A, Godard B. Practices and views of neurologists regarding the use of whole-genome sequencing in clinical settings: a web-based survey. Eur J Hum Genet 2017; 25:801-808. [PMID: 28488681 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2017.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) in clinical settings has brought up a number of controversial scientific and ethical issues. The application of WGS is of particular relevance in neurology, as many conditions are difficult to diagnose. We conducted a worldwide, web-based survey to explore neurologists' views on the benefits of, and concerns regarding, the clinical use of WGS, as well as the resources necessary to implement it. Almost half of the 204 neurologists in the study treated mostly adult patients (48%), while the rest mainly children (37.3%), or both (14.7%). Epilepsy (73%) and headaches (57.8%) were the predominant conditions treated. Factor analysis brought out two profiles: neurologists who would offer WGS to their patients, and those who would not, or were not sure in which circumstances it should be offered. Neurologists considering the use of WGS as bringing more benefits than drawbacks currently used targeted genetic testing (P<0.05) or treated mainly children (P<0.05). WGS' benefits were directed towards the patients, while its risks were of a financial and legal nature. Furthermore, there was a correlation between respondents' current use of genetic tests and an anticipation of increased use in the future (P<0.001). However, over half of respondents did not feel sufficiently informed to use WGS in their practice (53.5%). Our results highlight gaps in education, organization, and funding to support the use of WGS in neurology, and draw attention to the need for resources that could strongly contribute to more straightforward diagnoses and possibly better treatment of neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Jaitovich Groisman
- Groupe de recherche Omics-Ethics, Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thierry Hurlimann
- Groupe de recherche Omics-Ethics, Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amir Shoham
- Département de psychologie, Faculté des arts et des sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Béatrice Godard
- Groupe de recherche Omics-Ethics, Institut de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Hendriksz CJ, Anheim M, Bauer P, Bonnot O, Chakrapani A, Corvol JC, de Koning TJ, Degtyareva A, Dionisi-Vici C, Doss S, Duning T, Giunti P, Iodice R, Johnston T, Kelly D, Klünemann HH, Lorenzl S, Padovani A, Pocovi M, Synofzik M, Terblanche A, Then Bergh F, Topçu M, Tranchant C, Walterfang M, Velten C, Kolb SA. The hidden Niemann-Pick type C patient: clinical niches for a rare inherited metabolic disease. Curr Med Res Opin 2017; 33:877-890. [PMID: 28276873 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2017.1294054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease of impaired intracellular lipid trafficking. Clinical symptoms are highly heterogeneous, including neurological, visceral, or psychiatric manifestations. The incidence of NP-C is under-estimated due to under-recognition or misdiagnosis across a wide range of medical fields. New screening and diagnostic methods provide an opportunity to improve detection of unrecognized cases in clinical sub-populations associated with a higher risk of NP-C. Patients in these at-risk groups ("clinical niches") have symptoms that are potentially related to NP-C, but go unrecognized due to other, more prevalent clinical features, and lack of awareness regarding underlying metabolic causes. METHODS Twelve potential clinical niches identified by clinical experts were evaluated based on a comprehensive, non-systematic review of literature published to date. Relevant publications were identified by targeted literature searches of EMBASE and PubMed using key search terms specific to each niche. Articles published in English or other European languages up to 2016 were included. FINDINGS Several niches were found to be relevant based on available data: movement disorders (early-onset ataxia and dystonia), organic psychosis, early-onset cholestasis/(hepato)splenomegaly, cases with relevant antenatal findings or fetal abnormalities, and patients affected by family history, consanguinity, and endogamy. Potentially relevant niches requiring further supportive data included: early-onset cognitive decline, frontotemporal dementia, parkinsonism, and chronic inflammatory CNS disease. There was relatively weak evidence to suggest amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or progressive supranuclear gaze palsy as potential niches. CONCLUSIONS Several clinical niches have been identified that harbor patients at increased risk of NP-C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Hendriksz
- a Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust , Manchester , UK
- b University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa
| | - Mathieu Anheim
- c University of Strasbourg , Hautepierre Hospital , Strasbourg , France
| | - Peter Bauer
- d Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tübingen University , Tübingen, Germany
- e CENTOGENE AG , Rostock , Germany
| | | | | | - Jean-Christophe Corvol
- h Sorbonne University , UPMC and Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Nervous System Diseases , Paris , France
| | | | - Anna Degtyareva
- j Federal State Budget Institution, Research Center for Obstetrics , Gynecology and Perinatology , Moscow , Russia
| | | | - Sarah Doss
- l Charite University Medicine Berlin , Department of Neurology , Berlin , Germany
| | | | - Paola Giunti
- n University College London, Institute of Neurology , London , UK
| | - Rosa Iodice
- o University Federico II Naples , Naples , Italy
| | | | | | - Hans-Hermann Klünemann
- r University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Regensburg University , Regensburg , Germany
| | - Stefan Lorenzl
- s Ludwig Maximillian University , Munich , Germany
- t Paracelus Medical University , Salzburg , Austria
| | - Alessandro Padovani
- u Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences , University of Brescia , Brescia , Italy
| | | | - Matthis Synofzik
- w Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases , Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research , Tübingen, Germany
- x German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) , Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Meral Topçu
- z Hacettepe University Children's Hospital , Ankara , Turkey
| | | | | | | | - Stefan A Kolb
- ac Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd , Allschwil , Switzerland
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Kuiper A, Eggink H, Tijssen MAJ, de Koning TJ. Neurometabolic disorders are treatable causes of dystonia. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2016; 172:455-464. [PMID: 27561437 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2016.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
A broad range of rare inherited metabolic disorders can present with dystonia. For clinicians, it is important to recognize dystonic features, but it can be complicated by the mixed and complex clinical picture seen in many neurometabolic patients. Careful phenotyping is the first step towards the diagnosis of the underlying condition and subsequent targeted treatment, further supported by imaging, biochemical diagnostics and the availability of modern diagnostic techniques such as next generation sequencing. As several neurometabolic disorders are treatable causes of dystonia, these should have priority in the diagnostic process. In the symptomatic treatment of dystonia, several therapeutic options are available. Awareness for the occurrence and optimal treatment of dystonia and other movement disorders in neurometabolic conditions is important because these symptoms can have a substantial impact on the quality of life and daily functioning; this effect is not only exerted by the dystonia itself, but also by the frequently associated non-motor features. In this paper, the highlights and key concepts of neurometabolic forms of dystonia are discussed, with a focus on phenomenology, the diagnostic approach, the most important neurometabolic aetiologies, co-occurring non-motor features and therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kuiper
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - H Eggink
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M A J Tijssen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - T J de Koning
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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