AIM: To date, there is a lack of international guidelines regarding the management of the endocrine features of individuals with Noonan syndrome (NS). The aim was to develop a clinical practice survey to gather information on current treatment and management of these patients across Europe. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 10 experts from three clinical specialities involved in the management of NS patients (clinical geneticists, paediatric endocrinologists, and paediatric cardiologists) developed a 60-question clinical practice survey. The questionnaire was implemented in Survey Monkey and sent to physicians from these three specialities via European/national societies. Contingency tables and the Chi-Squared test for independence were used to examine differences between specialities and countries. RESULTS: In total, responses of 364 specialists (paediatric endocrinologists, 40%; geneticists, 30%; paediatric cardiologists, 30%) from 20 European countries were analysed. While endocrinologists mostly referred to national growth charts for the general population, geneticists mostly referred to NS-specific growth charts. Approximately half of the endocrinologists perform growth hormone (GH) stimulation tests in short patients with low IGF1 levels. Two thirds of endocrinologists begin GH treatment for short patients in early childhood (4-6.9 years), and over half of them selected a threshold of -2 standard deviation score (SDS) according to national growth charts. The main concerns about GH treatment appear to be presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (59%), increased risk of malignancy (46%), and limited efficacy (31%). When asked if they consider HCM as a contraindication for GH treatment, one third of respondents skipped this question, and among those who replied, two thirds selected 'cannot answer', suggesting a high level of uncertainty. A total of 21 adverse cardiac responses to GH treatment were reported. Although most respondents had not encountered any malignancy during GH treatment, six malignancies were reported. Finally, about half of the endocrinologists expected a typical final height gain of 1-1.5 SDS with GH treatment. CONCLUSION: This survey describes for the first time the current clinical practice of endocrine aspects of NS across Europe and helps us to identify gaps in the management but also in the knowledge of this genetic disorder.

• MeSH
• endokrinologové MeSH
• lékařská praxe - způsoby provádění MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidský růstový hormon terapeutické užití   MeSH
• nanismus diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• Noonanové syndrom diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Noonan syndrome (NS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding components of the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway. Patients with NS exhibit certain characteristic features, including cardiac defects, short stature, distinctive facial appearance, skeletal abnormalities, cognitive deficits, and predisposition to certain cancers. Here, a clinical practice survey was developed to learn more about differences in the diagnosis and management of this disease across Europe. The aim was to identify gaps in the knowledge and management of this rare disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The European Medical Education Initiative on NS, which comprised a group of 10 experts, developed a 60-question clinical practice survey to gather information from European physicians on the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with diseases in the NS phenotypic spectrum. Physicians from three specialities (clinical genetics, paediatric endocrinology, paediatric cardiology) were invited to complete the survey by several national and European societies. Differences in answers provided by respondents between specialities and countries were analysed using contingency tables and the Chi-Squared test for independence. The Friedman's test was used for related samples. RESULTS: Data were analysed from 364 respondents from 20 European countries. Most respondents came from France (21%), Spain (18%), Germany (16%), Italy (15%), United Kingdom (8%) and the Czech Republic (6%). Respondents were distributed evenly across three specialities: clinical genetics (30%), paediatric endocrinology (40%) and paediatric cardiology (30%). Care practices were generally aligned across the countries participating in the survey. Delayed diagnosis did not emerge as a critical issue, but certain unmet needs were identified, including transition of young patients to adult medical services and awareness of family support groups. CONCLUSION: Data collected from this survey provide a comprehensive summary of the diagnosis and clinical management practices for patients with NS across different European countries.

• MeSH
• genetické testování MeSH
• lékařská praxe - způsoby provádění * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Noonanové syndrom diagnóza   genetika   terapie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

BACKGROUND: The majority of children with Noonan syndrome (NS) or other diseases from the RASopathy spectrum suffer from congenital heart disease. This study aims to survey cardiac care of this patient cohort within Europe. METHODS: A cross-sectional exploratory survey assessing the treatment and management of patients with NS by paediatric endocrinologists, cardiologists and clinical geneticists was developed. This report details responses of 110 participating paediatric cardiologists from multiple countries. RESULTS: Most paediatric cardiologists responding to the questionnaire were associated with university hospitals, and most treated <10 patients/year with congenital heart disease associated with the NS spectrum. Molecular genetic testing for diagnosis confirmation was initiated by 81%. Half of the respondents reported that patients with NS and congenital heart disease typically present <1y of age, and that a large percentage of affected patients require interventions and pharmacotherapy early in life. A higher proportion of infant presentation and need for pharmacotherapy was reported by respondents from Germany and Sweden than from France and Spain (p = 0.031; p = 0.014; Fisher's exact test). Older age at first presentation was reported more from general hospitals and independent practices than from university hospitals (p = 0.031). The majority of NS patients were followed at specialist centres, but only 37% reported that their institution offered dedicated transition clinic to adult services. Very few NS patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were reported to carry implantable cardioverter defibrillators for sudden cardiac death prevention. Uncertainty was evident in regard to growth hormone treatment in patients with NS and co-existing HCM, where 13% considered it not a contra-indication, 24% stated they did not know, but 63% considered HCM either a possible (20%) or definite (15%) contraindication, or a cause for frequent monitoring (28%). Regarding adverse reactions for patients with NS on growth hormone therapy, 5/19 paediatric cardiology respondents reported a total of 12 adverse cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital heart disease in patients with NS or other RASopathies is associated with significant morbidity during early life, and specialty centre care is appropriate. More research is needed regarding the use of growth hormone in patients with NS with congenital heart disease, and unmet medical needs have been identified.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• genetické testování MeSH
• kardiologové MeSH
• lékařská praxe - způsoby provádění * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidský růstový hormon terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Noonanové syndrom * komplikace   diagnóza   genetika   terapie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• vrozené srdeční vady * diagnóza   etiologie   genetika   terapie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Biallelic variants in the SLC1A4 gene have been so far identified as a very rare cause of neurodevelopmental disorders with or without epilepsy and almost exclusively described in the Ashkenazi-Jewish population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Here we present Czech patient with microcephaly, severe global developmental delay and intractable seizures whose condition remained undiagnosed despite access to clinical experience and standard diagnostic methods including examination with an epilepsy targeted NGS gene panel. RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing revealed a novel variant NM_003038.4:c.1370G > A p.(Arg457Gln) of the SLC1A4 gene in a homozygous state in the patient, and afterwards Sanger sequencing in both parents confirmed the biallelic origin of the variant. A variant in the same codon, but with a different amino acid exchange, was described previously in a patient that had a very similar phenotype, however, without epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the SLC1A4 gene should be considered in the diagnosis of patients with severe, early onset neurodevelopmental impairment with epilepsy and encourage the analysis of SLC1A4 gene variants via targeted NGS gene panel or whole exome sequencing.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• homozygot MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrocefalie genetika   patologie   MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• neurovývojové poruchy genetika   patologie   MeSH
• transportní systém ASC pro aminokyseliny genetika   MeSH
• záchvaty genetika   patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

BACKGROUND: Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is the most commonly reported form of monogenic diabetes in the pediatric population. Only a few cases of digenic MODY have been reported up to now. CASE REPORT: A female patient was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 7 years and was treated with insulin. A strong family history of diabetes was present in the maternal side of the family. The patient also presented hypomagnesemia, glomerulocystic kidney disease and a bicornuate uterus. Genetic testing of the patient revealed that she was a double heterozygous carrier of HNF1A gene variant c.685C > T; (p.Arg229Ter) and a whole gene deletion of the HNF1B gene. Her mother was a carrier of the same HNF1A variant. CONCLUSION: Digenic inheritance of MODY pathogenic variants is probably more common than currently reported in literature. The use of Next Generation Sequencing panels in testing strategies for MODY could unmask such cases that would otherwise remain undiagnosed.

• MeSH
• cystická onemocnění ledvin genetika   patologie   MeSH
• diabetes mellitus 2. typu genetika   patologie   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• hepatocytární jaderný faktor 1-alfa genetika   MeSH
• hepatocytární jaderný faktor 1-beta genetika   MeSH
• heterozygot MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• nemoci ledvin genetika   patologie   MeSH
• uterus abnormality   MeSH
• vrozené poruchy tubulárního transportu genetika   patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

Atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome are highly rare kidney diseases that can occur in childhood. In some cases, genetic variants may trigger these conditions, although in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome they mostly confer only a predisposition to the disease. Most variants causing atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome were identified in genes encoding proteins regulating the complement pathway; on the other hand, there are approximately 58 genes encoding distinct proteins primarily causing steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. We present a child with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and a confirmed homozygous c.966G > A, p.Trp322Ter pathogenic variant in DGKE. This variant was also found in compound with a novel DGKE heterozygous deletion c.171delG, p.Ser58Alafs*111 in a patient from our paediatric cohort with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Both cases presented with hypertension, nephrotic proteinuria and severe acute kidney injury followed by renal recovery; however, their renal histology was different. In this paper, we deal with the clinical course of children with disrupted DGKE, including the steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome overlap.

• MeSH
• diacylglycerolkinasa genetika   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• fenotyp * MeSH
• hemolyticko-uremický syndrom genetika   patologie   MeSH
• homozygot MeSH
• ledviny patologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• nefrotický syndrom vrozené   genetika   patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

Birk Barel syndrome also known as KCNK9 imprinting syndrome is a rare developmental disorder associated with a loss-of-function variant in KCNK9, an imprinted gene with maternal expression on the 8th chromosome encoding the TASK3 (TWIK-related acidity inhibited K + -channel 3). Only two variants of KCNK9 have been associated with this condition before, both of them leading to the same amino-acid exchange p.Gly236Arg (Barel, 2008, Graham, 2016). We describe a case of a 17-year-old girl presenting with very similar phenotype and pure motor neuropathy with a novel variant c.710C > A: p.Ala237Asp (NM_001282534.1) in KCNK9 found by whole exome sequencing. Our case suggests that Birk Barel syndrome may not be caused only by variants leading to amino-acid exchange p.Gly236Arg but also by other missense variant in this gene and that peripheral motor neuropathy might be a feature of this syndrome.

• MeSH
• draslíkové kanály s dvoupórovou doménou genetika   MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci * MeSH
• genomový imprinting genetika   MeSH
• kraniofaciální abnormality genetika   patologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mentální retardace genetika   patologie   MeSH
• missense mutace genetika   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin genetika   MeSH
• sekvenování exomu MeSH
• svalová hypotonie genetika   patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

Cell-free DNA-based noninvasive prenatal testing (cfDNA) is a relatively new screening tool that analyzes cfDNA circulating in maternal plasma to screen for aneuploidies. Since its introduction, cfDNA has been rapidly adopted by health care providers (HCPs). This rapid adoption, as well as progressive developments in the technology, requires professional societies to continuously update their guidelines to indicate the broadening scope both in terms of test indications and patient populations for whom it has become the appropriate primary test. CfDNA testing, initially applied to high-risk patients, is now largely considered an option for all patients. For HCPs, the rapid introduction of cfDNA into clinical practice has come with the requirement to stay up-to-date and accurately informed. We performed a survey to understand the current practices and views of European HCPs on the use of cfDNA. European HCPs were surveyed on several topics such as familiarity with cfDNA-based noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), current usage, patient counseling, test menu expansion, and future perspectives. The results of this survey demonstrate increasing usage and awareness of cfDNA-based NIPT in five European countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy). Major barriers to implementation include cost and a lack of physician education on NIPT.

• MeSH
• aneuploidie MeSH
• Downův syndrom krev   genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• neinvazivní prenatální testování etika   MeSH
• postoj MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• volné cirkulující nukleové kyseliny krev   genetika   MeSH
• zdravotnický personál psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Francie MeSH
• Itálie MeSH
• Německo MeSH
• Španělsko MeSH

Kabuki syndrome is mainly caused by dominant de-novo pathogenic variants in the KMT2D and KDM6A genes. The clinical features of this syndrome are highly variable, making the diagnosis of Kabuki-like phenotypes difficult, even for experienced clinical geneticists. Herein we present molecular genetic findings of causal genetic variation using array comparative genome hybridization and a Mendeliome analysis, utilizing targeted exome analysis focusing on regions harboring rare disease-causing variants in Kabuki-like patients which remained KMT2D/KDM6A-negative. The aCGH analysis revealed a pathogenic CNV in the 14q11.2 region, while targeted exome sequencing revealed pathogenic variants in genes associated with intellectual disability (HUWE1, GRIN1), including a gene coding for mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly (EFTUD2). Lower values of the MLL2-Kabuki phenotypic score are indicative of Kabuki-like phenotype (rather than true Kabuki syndrome), where aCGH and Mendeliome analyses have high diagnostic yield. Based on our findings we conclude that for new patients with Kabuki-like phenotypes it is possible to choose a specific molecular testing approach that has the highest detection rate for a given MLL2-Kabuki score, thus fostering more precise patient diagnosis and improved management in these genetically- and phenotypically heterogeneous clinical entities.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• DNA vazebné proteiny genetika   MeSH
• elongační faktory genetika   MeSH
• exom MeSH
• fenotyp * MeSH
• genetická heterogenita * MeSH
• genotyp * MeSH
• histondemethylasy genetika   MeSH
• jaderné proteiny genetika   MeSH
• krevní nemoci diagnóza   genetika   patofyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské chromozomy, pár 14 MeSH
• malý jaderný ribonukleoprotein U5 genetika   MeSH
• mandibulofaciální dysostóza genetika   MeSH
• mentální retardace genetika   MeSH
• mikrocefalie genetika   MeSH
• mnohočetné abnormality diagnóza   genetika   patofyziologie   MeSH
• nádorové proteiny genetika   MeSH
• nádorové supresorové proteiny genetika   MeSH
• obličej abnormality   patofyziologie   MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• proteiny nervové tkáně genetika   MeSH
• receptory N-methyl-D-aspartátu genetika   MeSH
• srovnávací genomová hybridizace MeSH
• ubikvitinligasy genetika   MeSH
• vestibulární nemoci diagnóza   genetika   patofyziologie   MeSH
• vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

Fanconi anemia, complementation group D1 with bi-allelic FANCD1 (BRCA2) mutations, is a very rare genetic disorder characterized by early onset of childhood malignancies, including acute leukemia, brain cancer and nephroblastoma. Here, we present a case report of a family with 3 affected children in terms of treatment outcome, toxicity and characterization of the malignancies using comprehensive cytogenetic analysis. The first child was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 11 months old. During chemotherapy, he suffered from repeated pancytopenia, sepsis and severe vincristine polyneuropathy, and 18 months after primary diagnosis, he succumbed to secondary acute monocytic leukemia. The second child was diagnosed with stage 2 triphasic nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor), when he was 3 years and 11 months old. During chemotherapy, he suffered from vincristine polyneuropathy. Currently, he is in complete remission, 29 months following the initial diagnosis. The third child was diagnosed with medulloblastoma with classical histology, when she was 4 years and 5 months old. After the first cycle of chemotherapy, she suffered from prolonged pancytopenia, sepsis and severe skin and mucosal toxicity. Six weeks after primary diagnosis, a first relapse in the posterior fossa was diagnosed, and at 7 and half months after primary diagnosis, a second relapse was diagnosed that led to the patient's death. Our case report underscores tumor heterogeneity, treatment toxicity and poor outcome in Fanconi anemia patients of complementation group D1.

• MeSH
• Fanconiho anemie diagnóza   farmakoterapie   genetika   MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• imunofenotypizace MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• protein BRCA2 genetika   MeSH
• protokoly protinádorové kombinované chemoterapie terapeutické užití   MeSH
• rodina MeSH
• ztráta heterozygozity MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH