Diagnosis of 'possible' mitochondrial disease: an existential crisis.

Parikh S, Karaa A, Goldstein A, Bertini ES, Chinnery PF, Christodoulou J, Cohen BH, Davis RL, Falk MJ, Fratter C, Horvath R, Koenig MK, Mancuso M, McCormack S, McCormick EM, McFarland R, Nesbitt V, Schiff M, Steele H, Stockler S, Sue C, Tarnopolsky M, Thorburn DR, Vockley J, Rahman S. Diagnosis of 'possible' mitochondrial disease: an existential crisis. J Med Genet. 2019 Jan 25. pii: jmedgenet-2018-105800. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2018-105800. [Epub ahead

of print]

Abstract

Primary genetic mitochondrial diseases are often difficult to diagnose, and the term 'possible' mitochondrial disease is used frequently by clinicians when such a diagnosis is suspected. There are now many known phenocopies of mitochondrial disease. Advances in genomic testing have shown that some patients with a clinical phenotype and biochemical abnormalities suggesting mitochondrial disease may have other genetic disorders. In instances when a genetic diagnosis cannot be confirmed, a diagnosis of 'possible' mitochondrial disease may result in harm to patients and their families, creating anxiety, delaying appropriate diagnosis and leading to inappropriate management or care. A categorisation of 'diagnosis uncertain', together with a specific description of the metabolic or genetic abnormalities identified, is preferred when a mitochondrial disease cannot be genetically confirmed.

Courtesy of a colleague