Genetic Testing for Epilepsy May Benefit All Adults

Source: Seizure

Summary

Researchers studied the effectiveness of using common clinical characteristics to predict the results of genetic testing in adults with epilepsy. They looked at data from nearly 3,000 adults who underwent multigene panel testing for epilepsy between March 2016 and June 2024. The goal was to see if factors like age, sex, and medical history could help doctors identify which patients were more likely to have a positive genetic test result.

The study found that these common clinical characteristics did not reliably predict positive genetic test results. This means that doctors cannot depend on these factors alone to decide who should get genetic testing. As a result, the researchers suggest that routine genetic testing might be beneficial for all adults with unexplained epilepsy, rather than just those who seem to fit certain profiles.

This research is important because it highlights the limitations of using clinical characteristics to guide genetic testing decisions. It suggests that many adults who might benefit from genetic testing could be overlooked if doctors rely solely on these traits. However, the study also has limitations, such as the need for more comprehensive models that include additional medical information, which could improve the accuracy of predictions in the future.

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