Is it Usher syndrome? Collaborative diagnosis and molecular genetics of patients with visual impairment and hearing loss

Authors: 
Stiff HA, Sloan-Heggen CM, Ko A, Pfeifer WL, Kolbe DL, Nishimura CJ, Frees KL, Booth KT, Wang D, Weaver AE, Azaiez H, Kamholz J, Smith RJH, Drack AV

Usher syndrome is the most common hereditary syndrome combining deafness and blindness. In the 2017 National Child Count of Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind, Usher syndrome represented 329 of 10,000 children, but there were also at least 70 other etiologies of deaf-blindness documented. The purpose of this study was to analyze the work-up and ultimate diagnoses of 21 consecutive families who presented to the Genetic Eye-Ear Clinic (GEEC) at the University of Iowa. Our hypothesis was that most families referred to the GEEC would have initial and final diagnoses of Usher syndrome.

Journal: 
Ophthalmic Genetics
Publication Date: 
Mar 22 2020
Pubmed ID: