Faculty Collaboration Database

Impact of integrated translational research on clinical exome sequencing. Genet Med 2021 Mar;23(3):498-507

Date

11/05/2020

Pubmed ID

33144682

DOI

10.1038/s41436-020-01005-9

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85094871921 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   23 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: Exome sequencing often identifies pathogenic genetic variants in patients with undiagnosed diseases. Nevertheless, frequent findings of variants of uncertain significance necessitate additional efforts to establish causality before reaching a conclusive diagnosis. To provide comprehensive genomic testing to patients with undiagnosed disease, we established an Individualized Medicine Clinic, which offered clinical exome testing and included a Translational Omics Program (TOP) that provided variant curation, research activities, or research exome sequencing.

METHODS: From 2012 to 2018, 1101 unselected patients with undiagnosed diseases received exome testing. Outcomes were reviewed to assess impact of the TOP and patient characteristics on diagnostic rates through descriptive and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS: The overall diagnostic yield was 24.9% (274 of 1101 patients), with 174 (15.8% of 1101) diagnosed on the basis of clinical exome sequencing alone. Four hundred twenty-three patients with nondiagnostic or without access to clinical exome sequencing were evaluated by the TOP, with 100 (9% of 1101) patients receiving a diagnosis, accounting for 36.5% of the diagnostic yield. The identification of a genetic diagnosis was influenced by the age at time of testing and the disease phenotype of the patient.

CONCLUSION: Integration of translational research activities into clinical practice of a tertiary medical center can significantly increase the diagnostic yield of patients with undiagnosed disease.

Author List

Klee EW, Cousin MA, Pinto E Vairo F, Morales-Rosado JA, Macke EL, Jenkinson WG, Ferrer A, Schultz-Rogers LE, Olson RJ, Oliver GR, Sigafoos AN, Schwab TL, Zimmermann MT, Urrutia RA, Kaiwar C, Gupta A, Blackburn PR, Boczek NJ, Prochnow CA, Lowy RJ, Mulvihill LA, McAllister TM, Aoudia SL, Kruisselbrink TM, Gunderson LB, Kemppainen JL, Fisher LJ, Tarnowski JM, Hager MM, Kroc SA, Bertsch NL, Agre KE, Jackson JL, Macklin-Mantia SK, Murphree MI, Rust LM, Summer Bolster JM, Beck SA, Atwal PS, Ellingson MS, Barnett SS, Rasmussen KJ, Lahner CA, Niu Z, Hasadsri L, Ferber MJ, Marcou CA, Clark KJ, Pichurin PN, Deyle DR, Morava-Kozicz E, Gavrilova RH, Dhamija R, Wierenga KJ, Lanpher BC, Babovic-Vuksanovic D, Farrugia G, Schimmenti LA, Stewart AK, Lazaridis KN

Authors

Raul A. Urrutia MD Center Director, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael T. Zimmermann PhD Director, Assistant Professor in the Clinical and Translational Science Institute department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Exome
Genetic Testing
Humans
Phenotype