Next-generation phenotyping integrated in a national framework for patients with ultrarare disorders improves genetic diagnostics and yields new molecular findings

Nat Genet. 2024 Aug;56(8):1644-1653. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01836-1. Epub 2024 Jul 22.

Abstract

Individuals with ultrarare disorders pose a structural challenge for healthcare systems since expert clinical knowledge is required to establish diagnoses. In TRANSLATE NAMSE, a 3-year prospective study, we evaluated a novel diagnostic concept based on multidisciplinary expertise in Germany. Here we present the systematic investigation of the phenotypic and molecular genetic data of 1,577 patients who had undergone exome sequencing and were partially analyzed with next-generation phenotyping approaches. Molecular genetic diagnoses were established in 32% of the patients totaling 370 distinct molecular genetic causes, most with prevalence below 1:50,000. During the diagnostic process, 34 novel and 23 candidate genotype-phenotype associations were identified, mainly in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Sequencing data of the subcohort that consented to computer-assisted analysis of their facial images with GestaltMatcher could be prioritized more efficiently compared with approaches based solely on clinical features and molecular scores. Our study demonstrates the synergy of using next-generation sequencing and phenotyping for diagnosing ultrarare diseases in routine healthcare and discovering novel etiologies by multidisciplinary teams.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Exome Sequencing / methods
  • Female
  • Genetic Association Studies / methods
  • Genetic Testing / methods
  • Germany
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing* / methods
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / genetics
  • Phenotype*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Young Adult