Browsing by Subject "Genomic testing"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Clinical Genetic and Genomic Testing in Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiomyopathy
    (MDPI, 2024-04-26) Pidaparti, Mahati; Geddes, Gabrielle C.; Durbin, Matthew D.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Congenital heart disease (CHD) and cardiomyopathies are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. These conditions are often caused by genetic factors, and recent research has shown that genetic and genomic testing can provide valuable information for patient care. By identifying genetic causes, healthcare providers can screen for other related health conditions, offer early interventions, estimate prognosis, select appropriate treatments, and assess the risk for family members. Genetic and genomic testing is now the standard of care in patients with CHD and cardiomyopathy. However, rapid advances in technology and greater availability of testing options have led to changes in recommendations for the most appropriate testing method. Several recent studies have investigated the utility of genetic testing in this changing landscape. This review summarizes the literature surrounding the clinical utility of genetic evaluation in patients with CHD and cardiomyopathy.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genetic Testing for Parkinson Disease: Are We Ready?
    (American Academy of Neurology, 2021-02) Cook, Lola; Schulze, Jeanine; Kopil, Catherine; Hastings, Tara; Naito, Anna; Wojcieszek, Joanne; Payne, Katelyn; Alcalay, Roy N.; Klein, Christine; Saunders-Pullman, Rachel; Simuni, Tatyana; Foroud, Tatiana; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    Purpose of review: With the advent of precision medicine and demand for genomic testing information, we may question whether it is time to offer genetic testing to our patients with Parkinson disease (PD). This review updates the current genetic landscape of PD, describes what genetic testing may offer, provides strategies for evaluating whom to test, and provides resources for the busy clinician. Recent findings: Patients with PD and their relatives, in various settings, have expressed an interest in learning their PD genetic status; however, physicians may be hesitant to widely offer testing due to the perceived low clinical utility of PD genetic test results. The rise of clinical trials available for patients with gene-specific PD and emerging information on genotype-phenotype correlations are starting to shift this discussion about testing. Summary: By learning more about the various genetic testing options for PD and utility of results for patients and their care, clinicians may become more comfortable with widespread PD genetic testing in the research and clinical setting.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    What Results Should Be Returned from Opportunistic Screening in Translational Research?
    (MDPI, 2020-03) Halverson, Colin M. E.; Jones, Sarah H.; Novak, Laurie; Simpson, Christopher; Velez Edwards, Digna R.; Zhao, Sifang Kathy; Clayton, Ellen W.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Increasingly, patients without clinical indications are undergoing genomic tests. The purpose of this study was to assess their appreciation and comprehension of their test results and their clinicians’ reactions. We conducted 675 surveys with participants from the Vanderbilt Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) cohort. We interviewed 36 participants: 19 had received positive results, and 17 were self-identified racial minorities. Eleven clinicians who had patients who had participated in eMERGE were interviewed. A further 21 of these clinicians completed surveys. Participants spontaneously admitted to understanding little or none of the information returned to them from the eMERGE study. However, they simultaneously said that they generally found testing to be “helpful,” even when it did not inform their health care. Primary care physicians expressed discomfort in being asked to interpret the results for their patients and described it as an undue burden. Providing genetic testing to otherwise healthy patients raises a number of ethical issues that warrant serious consideration. Although our participants were enthusiastic about enrolling and receiving their results, they express a limited understanding of what the results mean for their health care. This fact, coupled the clinicians’ concern, urges greater caution when educating and enrolling participants in clinically non-indicated testing.