1
|
Zheng M, Hakim A, Konkwo C, Deaton AM, Ward LD, Silveira MG, Assis DN, Liapakis A, Jaffe A, Jiang ZG, Curry MP, Lai M, Cho MH, Dykas D, Bale A, Mistry PK, Vilarinho S. Advancing diagnosis and management of liver disease in adults through exome sequencing. EBioMedicine 2023; 95:104747. [PMID: 37566928 PMCID: PMC10433007 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104747] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is an effective tool for diagnosis in patients who remain undiagnosed despite a comprehensive clinical work-up. While WES is being used increasingly in pediatrics and oncology, it remains underutilized in non-oncological adult medicine, including in patients with liver disease, in part based on the faulty premise that adults are unlikely to harbor rare genetic variants with large effect size. Here, we aim to assess the burden of rare genetic variants underlying liver disease in adults at two major tertiary referral academic medical centers. METHODS WES analysis paired with comprehensive clinical evaluation was performed in fifty-two adult patients with liver disease of unknown etiology evaluated at two US tertiary academic health care centers. FINDINGS Exome analysis uncovered a definitive or presumed diagnosis in 33% of patients (17/52) providing insight into their disease pathogenesis, with most of these patients (12/17) not having a known family history of liver disease. Our data shows that over two-thirds of undiagnosed liver disease patients attaining a genetic diagnosis were being evaluated for cholestasis or hepatic steatosis of unknown etiology. INTERPRETATION This study reveals an underappreciated incidence and spectrum of genetic diseases presenting in adulthood and underscores the clinical value of incorporating exome sequencing in the evaluation and management of adults with liver disease of unknown etiology. FUNDING S.V. is supported by the NIH/NIDDK (K08 DK113109 and R01 DK131033-01A1) and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Grant #2019081. This work was supported in part by NIH-funded Yale Liver Center, P30 DK34989.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Zheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Aaron Hakim
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chigoziri Konkwo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Marina G Silveira
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David N Assis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - AnnMarie Liapakis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ariel Jaffe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Z Gordon Jiang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael P Curry
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle Lai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael H Cho
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Dykas
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Allen Bale
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pramod K Mistry
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Silvia Vilarinho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
The landscape of chronic liver disease has drastically changed over the past 20 years, largely due to advances in antiviral therapy and the rise of metabolic syndrome and associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of liver diseases, the burden of chronic liver disease is increasing worldwide. The first step to addressing any disease is accurate diagnosis. Here, we discuss liver diseases that remain undiagnosed, either because they are difficult to diagnose or due to hepatic manifestations of an unrecognized systemic disease. Additionally, their underlying etiology may remain unknown or they represent previously uncharacterized and therefore novel liver diseases. Our goal is to provide a framework for approaching undiagnosed liver diseases which elude standard hepatic diagnostic work-up and whose patterns of disease are often overlooked.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Gao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Julian Hercun
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Theo Heller
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sílvia Vilarinho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|