Qatar's genetic counseling landscape: Current insights and future prospects.

Genetic counseling is a dynamic and rapidly growing field. In Qatar, the significance of genetic counseling is underscored by the distinctive demographic characteristics of the population, including elevated rates of consanguinity and larger family sizes, contributing to the increased incidence of many genetic conditions. This emphasizes the crucial role of genetic counseling in addressing the specific needs of the community.

The impact of armed conflict on nursing students' self-esteem: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Armed conflict is a prevalent global issue that affects both the socioeconomic aspects of society and has profound psychological consequences for those directly involved. This cross-sectional comparative study explored the impact of armed conflict on the self-esteem of nursing students in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. In total, 308 nursing students provided data.

Refractory Hyperammonemic encephalopathy in Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, a case report and literature review.

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma is a rare type of hepatocellular carcinoma with unclear etiology. Its prevalence ranges from 0.6%-5%.

Expanding on the phenotypic spectrum of Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome due to founder pathogenic variant in DCAF17: Report of 58 additional patients from Qatar and literature review.

Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome (WSS) is a rare autosomal recessive neuroendocrine and ectodermal disorder caused by variants in the DCAF17 gene. In Qatar, the c.436delC variant has been reported as a possible founder pathogenic variant with striking phenotypic heterogeneity.

Gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy: the Qatari experience.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by hypotonia, progressive muscle weakness, and wasting. Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma) is a novel gene therapy medicine, FDA-approved in May 2019 for the treatment of SMA. This study aimed to describe Qatari experience with onasemnogene abeparvovec by reviewing the clinical outcomes of 9 SMA children (7 SMA type 1 and 2 with SMA type 2) aged 4‒23 months treated between November 2019 and July 2020.

A founder RAB27A variant causes Griscelli syndrome type 2 with phenotypic heterogeneity in Qatari families.

Griscelli syndrome type 2 (GS2) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the RAB27A gene and characterized by partial albinism, immunodeficiency, and occasional hematological and neurological involvement. We reviewed and analyzed the medical records of 12 individuals with GS2 from six families belonging to a highly consanguineous Qatari tribe and with a recurrent pathogenic variant in the RAB27A gene (NM_004580.4: c.

Natural history, with clinical, biochemical, and molecular characterization of classical homocystinuria in the Qatari population.

Classical homocystinuria (HCU) is the most common inborn error of metabolism in Qatar, with an incidence of 1:1800, and is caused by the Qatari founder p.R336C mutation in the CBS gene. This study describes the natural history and clinical manifestations of HCU in the Qatari population.

Clinical exome sequencing in 509 Middle Eastern families with suspected Mendelian diseases: The Qatari experience.

Background: Clinical exome sequencing (CES) is rapidly becoming the diagnostic test of choice in patients with suspected Mendelian diseases especially those that are heterogeneous in etiology and clinical presentation. Reporting large CES series can inform guidelines on best practices for test utilization, and improves accuracy of variant interpretation through clinically-oriented data sharing.

Methods: This is a retrospective series of 509 probands from Qatar who underwent singleton or trio CES either as a reflex or naïve (first-tier) test from April 2014 to December 2016 for various clinical indications.

Delineating the phenotypic spectrum of hyperphosphatasia with mental retardation syndrome 4 in 14 patients of Middle-Eastern origin.

Hyperphosphatasia with mental retardation syndrome 4 (HPMRS4) is a rare autosomal recessive condition caused by an impairment of glycosylphophatidylinositol biosynthesis. The cardinal features of HPMRS4 include; characteristic facial features, severe intellectual disability and various neurologic abnormalities. We report here detailed clinical, biochemical, and molecular findings of 14 patients clinically suspected to have HPMRS4, from three Middle-Eastern Countries; Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman.

Clinical genetics and genomic medicine in Qatar.

Clinical genetics and genomic medicine in Qatar. [Image: see text]

A Middle Eastern Founder Mutation Expands the Genotypic and Phenotypic Spectrum of Mitochondrial MICU1 Deficiency: A Report of 13 Patients.

MICU1 encodes a Ca sensing, regulatory subunit of the mitochondrial uniporter, a selective calcium channel within the organelle's inner membrane. Ca entry into mitochondria helps to buffer cytosolic Ca transients and also activates ATP production within the organelle. Mutations in MICU1 have previously been reported in 17 children from nine families with muscle weakness, fatigue, normal lactate, and persistently elevated creatine kinase, as well as variable features that include progressive extrapyramidal signs, learning disabilities, nystagmus, and cataracts.