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Purpose: Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD) are a heterogeneous group of retinal diseases leading to progressive loss of photoreceptors through apoptosis. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is considered the most common form of IRD. Panel-based testing in RP has proven effective in identifying the causative genetic mutations in 70% and 80% of the patients. This is a retrospective, observational, single-center study of 107 RP patients who had undergone next-generation sequencing-based targeted gene panel testing for IRD genes. These patients were inspected for common phenotypic features to arrive at meaningful genotype–phenotype correlation. Methods: Patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination, and blood was collected from the proband for DNA extraction after documenting the pedigree. Targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was done by panel-based testing for IRD genes followed by co-segregation analysis wherever applicable. Results: Of the 107 patients, 72 patients had pathogenic mutations. The mean age of onset of symptoms was 14 ± 12 years (range: 5–55). Mean (Best Corrected Visual Acuity) BCVA was 6/48 (0.9 logMAR) (range 0.0–3.0). At presentation, over one-third of eyes had BCVA worse than 6/60 (

Purpose: Stickler syndrome is associated with the development of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and often presents with ocular, auditory, skeletal, and orofacial abnormalities. Molecular analysis has proven effective in diagnosis, confirmation and classification of the disease. We aimed to describe the utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in genetic analysis of four Indian families with suspected Stickler syndrome. Methods: The index cases presented with retinal detachment with family history. Genetic analysis in the index case was performed by next-generation sequencing of inherited retinal degeneration genes, and validated by Sanger sequencing followed by co-segregation analysis in the other family members. Results: Twenty patients were included for the genetic analysis (15 males and 5 females from four families). Clinical details were available for 15 patients (30 eyes). Fourteen eyes (11 patients) developed RRD. In the 16 eyes without RRD, 8 underwent barrage laser to lattice degeneration and 8 were under observation. Disease segregating heterozygous mutations with pathogenic/likely pathogenic effect was identified in COL2A1 (c.4318-1G>A, c.141G>A, c.1221+1G>A for 3 families) and COL11A1 (c.1737+1 G>A for 1 family) gene. In addition to the mutation in the COL2A1 gene, a pathogenic heterozygous variant associated with risk for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) was identified in one member. Conclusion: NGS testing confirmed the presence of the causative gene for Stickler syndrome in the index case followed by evaluation of family members and confirmation of genetic and ocular findings. We believe that this may be the first such report of families with RRD from India.

Purpose: Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD) are a heterogeneous group of retinal diseases leading to progressive loss of photoreceptors through apoptosis. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is considered the most common form of IRD. Panel-based testing in RP has proven effective in identifying the causative genetic mutations in 70% and 80% of the patients. This is a retrospective, observational, single-center study of 107 RP patients who had undergone next-generation sequencing-based targeted gene panel testing for IRD genes. These patients were inspected for common phenotypic features to arrive at meaningful genotype-phenotype correlation., Methods: Patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination, and blood was collected from the proband for DNA extraction after documenting the pedigree. Targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was done by panel-based testing for IRD genes followed by co-segregation analysis wherever applicable., Results: Of the 107 patients, 72 patients had pathogenic mutations. The mean age of onset of symptoms was 14 ± 12 years (range: 5-55). Mean (Best Corrected Visual Acuity) BCVA was 6/48 (0.9 logMAR) (range 0.0-3.0). At presentation, over one-third of eyes had BCVA worse than 6/60 (<1 logMAR). Phenotype analysis with the gene defects showed overlapping features, such as peripheral well-defined chorioretinal atrophic patches in patients with CERKL, PROM1, and RPE65 gene mutations and large macular lesions in patients with RDH12 and CRX gene mutations, respectively. Nummular or clump-like pigmentation was noted in CRB1, TTC8, PDE6A, and PDE6B., Conclusion: NGS-based genetic testing can help clinicians to diagnose RP more accurately, and phenotypic correlations can also help in better patient counselling with respect to prognosis and guidance regarding ongoing newer gene-based therapies., Competing Interests: None