40 research outputs found

    Diagnostic exome sequencing in 266 Dutch patients with visual impairment

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    Inherited eye disorders have a large clinical and genetic heterogeneity, which makes genetic diagnosis cumbersome. An exome-sequencing approach was developed in which data analysis was divided into two steps: the vision gene panel and exome analysis. In the vision gene panel analysis, variants in genes known to cause inherited eye disorders were assessed for pathogenicity. If no causative variants were detected and when the patient consented, the entire exome data was analyzed. A total of 266 Dutch patients with different types of inherited eye disorders, including inherited retinal dystrophies, cataract, developmental eye disorders and optic atrophy, were investigated. In the vision gene panel analysis (likely), causative variants were detected in 49% and in the exome analysis in an additional 2% of the patients. The highest detection rate of (likely) causative variants was in patients with inherited retinal dystrophies, for instance a yield of 63% in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. In patients with developmental eye defects, cataract and optic atrophy, the detection rate was 50, 33 and 17%, respectively. An exome-sequencing approach enables a genetic diagnosis in patients with different types of inherited eye disorders using one test. The exome approach has the same detection rate as targeted panel sequencing tests, but offers a number of advantages. For instance, the vision gene panel can be frequently and easily updated with additional (novel) eye disorder genes. Determination of the genetic diagnosis improved the clinical diagnosis, regarding the assessment of the inheritance pattern as well as future disease perspective

    Next-generation sequencing-based genome diagnostics across clinical genetics centers: Implementation choices and their effects

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    Implementation of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technology into routine diagnostic genome care requires strategic choices. Instead of theoretical discussions on the consequences of such choices, we compared NGS-based diagnostic practices in eight clinical genetic centers in the Netherlands, based on genetic testing of nine pre-selected patients with cardiomyopathy. We highlight critical implementation choices, including the specific contributions of laboratory and medical specialists, bioinformaticians and researchers to diagnostic genome care, and how these affect interpretation and reporting of variants. Reported pathogenic mutations were consistent for all but one patient. Of the two centers that were inconsistent in their diagnosis, one reported to have found 'no causal variant', thereby underdiagnosing this patient. The other provided an alternative diagnosis, identifying another variant as causal than the other centers. Ethical and legal analysis showed that informed consent procedures in all centers were generally adequate for diagnostic NGS applications that target a limited set of genes, but not for exome- and genome-based diagnosis. We propose changes to further improve and align these procedures, taking into account the blurring boundary between diagnostics and research, and specific counseling options for exome- and genome-based diagnostics. We conclude that alternative diagnoses may infer a certain level of 'greediness' to come to a positive diagnosis in interpreting sequencing results. Moreover, there is an increasing interdependence of clinic, diagnostics and research departments for comprehensive diagnostic genome care. Therefore, we invite clinical geneticists, physicians, researchers, bioinformatics experts and patients to reconsider their role and position in future diagnostic genome care

    A Molecular Genetic Study on Cowden Disease.

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    Lhermitte-Duclos disease as a component of Cowden's syndrome. Case report and review of the literature.

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    Breaking bounds : Alice Profé, radical and emancipationist

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    La vie et l'oeuvre d'Alice Profé (1887-1946). Son combat pour l'égalité des sexes en Allemagne. Son activisme en faveur de la gymnastique féminine, de la culture physique et de la pratique sportive des femmes (promotion de l'aviron 'stylistique'), de la participation des femmes aux Jeux olympiques

    Is the $1000 Genome as Near as We Think? A Cost Analysis of Next-Generation Sequencing

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    BACKGROUND: The substantial technological advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS), combined with dropping costs, have allowed for a swift diffusion of NGS applications in clinical settings. Although several commercial parties report to have broken the 1000barrierforsequencinganentirehumangenome,avalidcostoverviewforNGSiscurrentlylacking.Thisstudyprovidesacomplete,transparentandup−to−dateoverviewofthetotalcostsofdifferentNGSapplications.METHODS:Costcalculationsfortargetedgenepanels(TGP),wholeexomesequencing(WES)andwholegenomesequencing(WGS)werebasedontheIlluminaNextSeq500,HiSeq4000,andHiSeqX5platforms,respectively.Toanticipatefuturedevelopments,sensitivityanalysesareperformed.RESULTS:Per−samplecostswereeuro1669forWGS,euro792forWESandeuro333forTGP.Toreachthecoveted1000 barrier for sequencing an entire human genome, a valid cost overview for NGS is currently lacking. This study provides a complete, transparent and up-to-date overview of the total costs of different NGS applications. METHODS: Cost calculations for targeted gene panels (TGP), whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were based on the Illumina NextSeq500, HiSeq4000, and HiSeqX5 platforms, respectively. To anticipate future developments, sensitivity analyses are performed. RESULTS: Per-sample costs were euro1669 for WGS, euro 792 for WES and euro333 for TGP. To reach the coveted 1000 genome, not only is the long-term and efficient use of the sequencing equipment needed, but also large reductions in capital costs and especially consumable costs are also required. CONCLUSIONS: WES and TGP are considerably lower-cost alternatives to WGS. However, this does not imply that these NGS approaches should be preferred in clinical practice, since this should be based on the tradeoff between costs and the expected clinical utility of the approach chosen. The results of the present study contribute to the evaluation of such tradeoffs
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