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Esterhuizen AI, Tiffin N, Riordan G, Wessels M, Burman RJ, Aziz MC, Calhoun JD, Gunti J, Amiri EE, Ramamurthy A, Bamshad MJ, Mefford HC, Ramesar R, Wilmshurst JM, Carvill GL, Leal SM, Nickerson DA, Anderson P, Bacus TJ, Blue EE, Brower K, Buckingham KJ, Chong JX, Cornejo Sánchez D, Davis CP, Davis CJ, Frazar CD, Gomeztagle-Burgess K, Gordon WW, Horike-Pyne M, Hurless JR, Jarvik GP, Johanson E, Thomas Kolar J, Marvin CT, McGee S, McGoldrick DJ, Mekonnen B, Nielsen PM, Patterson K, Radhakrishnan A, Richardson MA, Roote GT, Ryke EL, Schrauwen I, Shively KM, Smith JD, Tackett M, Wang G, Weiss JM, Wheeler MM, Yi Q, Zhang X. Precision medicine for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies in Africa-strategies for a resource-limited setting. Genet Med 2023; 25:100333. [PMID: 36480001 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest burden of epilepsy worldwide. A presumed proportion is genetic, but this etiology is buried under the burden of infections and perinatal insults in a setting of limited awareness and few options for testing. Children with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are most severely affected by this diagnostic gap in Africa, because the rate of actionable findings is highest in DEE-associated genes. METHODS We tested 234 genetically naive South African children diagnosed with/possible DEE using gene panels, exome sequencing, and chromosomal microarray. Statistical comparison of electroclinical features in children with and children without candidate variants was performed to identify characteristics most likely predictive of a positive genetic finding. RESULTS Of the 41 (of 234) children with likely/pathogenic variants, 26 had variants supporting precision therapy. Multivariate regression modeling highlighted neonatal or infantile-onset seizures and movement abnormalities as predictive of a positive genetic finding. We used this, coupled with an emphasis on precision medicine outcomes, to propose the pragmatic "Think-Genetics" strategy for early recognition of a possible genetic etiology. CONCLUSION Our findings emphasize the importance of an early genetic diagnosis in DEE. We designed the Think-Genetics strategy for early recognition, appropriate interim management, and genetic testing for DEE in resource-constrained settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina I Esterhuizen
- The South African MRC/UCT Genomic and Precision Medicine Research Unit, Division of Human Genetics, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nicki Tiffin
- South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Gillian Riordan
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marie Wessels
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Richard J Burman
- Division of Clinical Neurology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Miriam C Aziz
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Jeffrey D Calhoun
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Jonathan Gunti
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Ezra E Amiri
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Aishwarya Ramamurthy
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Michael J Bamshad
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Brotman Baty Institute, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Heather C Mefford
- Centre for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Raj Ramesar
- The South African MRC/UCT Genomic and Precision Medicine Research Unit, Division of Human Genetics, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Gemma L Carvill
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
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