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Published on: October 11, 2024
Genetic epidemiology of Moroccan pediatric cochlear implantation patients
El Mostafa Salman1,2, Omar Oulghoul3,4, Mohammed Chehbouni3,4
1Department of Genetics, Clinical Research Center, Mohammed VI University Hospital of Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Background:
Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, with genetic factors accounting for up to 60% of congenital or prelingual onset deafness. Cochlear implantation is widely used as an effective treatment for patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss; however, the genetic background in Moroccan cochlear implant patients remains unclear.
Aims/Objectives:
This study investigates the genetic background of congenital or pre-lingual onset severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss in pediatric patients who received cochlear implantation.
Material And Methods:
In this study, we enrolled 88 patients who underwent cochlear implantation and genetic diagnosis using next-generation sequencing with a panel covering 158 previously reported causative genes.
Results:
We identified the genetic cause in 58 of the 88 patients, with a genetic diagnostic rate of 65.9%. We identified 28 genes associated with Moroccan pediatric cochlear implant patients. The most prevalent genetic cause identified in this study was the GJB2 gene (12.5%), followed by MYO7A (6.8%) and CDH23 (4.5%).
Conclusions And Significance:
The study highlights the importance of genetic screening in pediatric cochlear implant patients and underscores the potential of gene therapy for treating genetic hearing loss.
