Connexin mutation testing of children with nonsyndromic, autosomal recessive sensorineural hearing loss

The etiology of hearing loss is heterogeneous and falls into the two broad categories of genetic and environmental. In the genetic subgroup, 70% are non syndromic. Fifty percent of nonsyndromic sensorineural deafness is due to a mutation in the connexin 26 gene. This article presents the detection rate of connexin mutations in a multiethnic Canadian population.

A study of patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss seen over a period of 2 years who had connexin 26 mutation testing.

Nine of the 18 patients had connexin 26 mutations.

The majority of our patients with connexin 26 mutations had moderate to profound hearing loss. Testing for connexin mutations should be standard care because it accounts for a large proportion of individuals with nonsyndromic hearing loss. Reasons for testing include ruling out a syndromic cause, predicting moderate to profound hearing loss, and the need for language intervention, cochlear implants, and genetic counselling.