DEBORA ROMEO BERTOLA
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
Instituto da Criança, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina - Médico
BIO, IB
LIM/36 - Laboratório de Pediatria Clínica, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
BIO, IB
LIM/36 - Laboratório de Pediatria Clínica, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
36 resultados
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- Nationwide questionnaire data of 229 Williams-Beuren syndrome patients using WhatsApp tool(2021) PIRES, Lucas Vieira Lacerda; RIBEIRO, Rogerio Lemos; SOUSA, Adriana Modesto de; LINNENKAMP, Bianca Domit Werner; PONTES, Sue Ellen; TEIXEIRA, Maria Cristina Triguero Veloz; BEFI-LOPES, Debora Maria; HONJO, Rachel Sayuri; BERTOLA, Debora Romeo; KIM, Chong AeBackground: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a multisystemic disorder caused by a microdeletion of the 7q 11.23 region. Although familial cases with autosomal dominant inheritance have been reported, the vast majority are sporadic. Objective: To investigate the main complaints and clinical findings of patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Methods: A total of 757 parents of patients registered in the Brazilian Association of Williams-Beuren Syndrome (ABSW) received a questionnaire via WhatsApp from March to July 2017. Results: In total, 229 parents answered the survey. Age of diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 34 years (median: 3 years). The main clinical findings reported by the parents were abdominal colic (83.3%), failu re to thrive (71.5%), feeding difficulty in the first year (68.9%), otitis (56.6%), urinary tract infections (31.9%), precocious puberty (27.1%) and scoliosis (15.9%). Cardiac defects were present in 66% of patients, and the most frequent defect was supravalvular aortic stenosis (36%). Arterial hypertension was reported in 23%. Hypercalcemia was reported in 10.5% of patients, mainly during the first year of life. Hyperacusis and hypersociability were common complaints (both present in 89%). Other behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms reported by the parents included attention deficit (89%), anger crises (83%), excessive fear (66%), depression (64%), anxiety (67%) and hypersexuality(33%).The most common complaints were hypersensitivity to sounds, talkative personality, emotional dependence and learning difficulties. In 98.3%, the parents denied family history. Conclusions: Williams-Beuren syndrome requires close follow-up with different medical specialties due to their variable clinical comorbidities, including language and school learning difficulties, behavioral and psychiatric problems.
- Cross-national harmonization of cognitive measures across HRS HCAP (USA) and LASI-DAD (India)(2022) VONK, Jet M. J.; GROSS, Alden L.; ZAMMIT, Andrea R.; BERTOLA, Laiss; AVILA, Justina F.; JUTTEN, Roos J.; GAYNOR, Leslie S.; SUEMOTO, Claudia K.; KOBAYASHI, Lindsay C.; O'CONNELL, Megan E.; ELUGBADEBO, Olufisayo; AMOFA, Priscilla A.; STAFFARONI, Adam M.; RENTERIA, Miguel Arce; TURNEY, Indira C.; JONES, Richard N.; MANLY, Jennifer J.; LEE, Jinkook; ZAHODNE, Laura B.Background As global populations age, cross-national comparisons of cognitive health and dementia risk are increasingly valuable. It remains unclear, however, whether country-level differences in cognitive function are attributable to population differences or bias due to incommensurate measurement. To demonstrate an effective method for cross-national comparison studies, we aimed to statistically harmonize measures of episodic memory and language function across two population-based cohorts of older adults in the United States (HRS HCAP) and India (LASI-DAD). Methods Data for 3,496 HRS HCAP (>= 65 years) and 3,152 LASI-DAD (>= 60 years) participants were statistically harmonized for episodic memory and language performance using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) methods. Episodic memory and language factor variables were investigated for differential item functioning (DIF) and precision. Results CFA models estimating episodic memory and language domains based on a priori adjudication of comparable items fit the data well. DIF analyses revealed that four out of ten episodic memory items and five out of twelve language items measured the underlying construct comparably across samples. DIF-modified episodic memory and language factor scores showed comparable patterns of precision across the range of the latent trait for each sample. Conclusions Harmonization of cognitive measures will facilitate future investigation of cross-national differences in cognitive performance and differential effects of risk factors, policies, and treatments, reducing study-level measurement and administrative influences. As international aging studies become more widely available, advanced statistical methods such as those described in this study will become increasingly central to making universal generalizations and drawing valid conclusions about cognitive aging of the global population.
- Achondroplasia in Latin America: practical recommendations for the multidisciplinary care of pediatric patients(2022) LLERENA JR., Juan; KIM, Chong Ae; FANO, Virginia; ROSSELLI, Pablo; COLLETT-SOLBERG, Paulo Ferrez; MEDEIROS, Paula Frassinetti Vasconcelos de; PINO, Mariana del; BERTOLA, Debora; LOURENCO, Charles Marques; CAVALCANTI, Denise Pontes; FELIX, Temis Maria; ROSA-BELLAS, Antonio; ROSSI, Norma Teresa; CORTES, Fanny; ABREU, Flavia; CAVALCANTI, Nicolette; RUZ, Maria Cecilia Hervias; BARATELA, WagnerBackground Achondroplasia is the most common bone dysplasia associated with disproportionate short stature, and other comorbidities, such as foramen magnum stenosis, thoracolumbar kyphosis, lumbar hyperlordosis, genu varum and spinal compression. Additionally, patients affected with this condition have higher frequency of sleep disorders, ear infections, hearing loss and slowed development milestones. Considering these clinical features, we aimed to summarize the regional experts' recommendations for the multidisciplinary management of patients with achondroplasia in Latin America, a vast geographic territory with multicultural characteristics and with socio-economical differences of developing countries. Methods Latin American experts (from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia) particiated of an Advisory Board meeting (October 2019), and had a structured discussion how patients with achondroplasia are followed in their healthcare centers and punctuated gaps and opportunities for regional improvement in the management of achondroplasia. Results Practical recommendations have been established for genetic counselling, prenatal diagnosis and planning of delivery in patients with achondroplasia. An outline of strategies was added as follow-up guidelines to specialists according to patient developmental phases, amongst them neurologic, orthopedic, otorhinolaryngologic, nutritional and anthropometric aspects, and related to development milestones. Additionally, the role of physical therapy, physical activity, phonoaudiology and other care related to the quality of life of patients and their families were discussed. Preoperative recommendations to patients with achondroplasia were also included. Conclusions This study summarized the main expert recommendations for the health care professionals management of achondroplasia in Latin America, reinforcing that achondroplasia-associated comorbidities are not limited to orthopedic concerns.
- Impact of ERT and follow-up of 17 patients from the same family with a mild form of MPS II(2022) STEPHAN, Bruno de Oliveira; QUAIO, Caio Robledo; SPOLADOR, Gustavo Marquezani; PAULA, Ana Carolina de; CURIATI, Marco Antonio; MARTINS, Ana Maria; LEAL, Gabriela Nunes; TENORIO, Artur; FINZI, Simone; CHIMELO, Flavia Teixeira; MATAS, Carla Gentile; HONJO, Rachel Sayuri; BERTOLA, Debora Romeo; KIM, Chong AeBackground: Mucopolysaccharidosis type II, also known as Hunter syndrome, is a rare X-linked recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme Iduronate-2-Sulfatase (IDS), leading to progressive accumulation of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in several organs. Over the years, Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) has provided significant benefits for patients, retarding the natural progression of the disease. Results: The authors evaluated 17 patients from the same family with a mild form of MPS type II; the proband had developed acute decompensated heart failure refractory to clinical measurements at 23 years and needed a rather urgent heart transplant; however, he died from surgical complications shortly after the procedure. Nevertheless, subsequent to his tragic death, 16 affected male relatives were detected after biochemical tests identifying the low or absent activity of the IDS enzyme and confirmed by molecular analysis of the IDS gene. Following diagnosis, different options of treatment were chosen: 6 patients started ERT with Elaprase (R) (Idursulfase) soon after, while the other 10 remained without ERT. Eventually, 4 patients in the latter group began ERT with Hunterase (R) (Idursulfase Beta). None presented adverse effects to either form of the enzyme. Among the 6 individuals without any ERT, two died of natural causes, after reaching 70 years. Despite the variable phenotype within the same family (mainly heart dysfunctions and carpal tunnel syndrome), all 14 remaining patients were alive with an independent lifestyle. Conclusion: Here, the authors report the variable progress of the disease with and without ERT in a large Brazilian family with a slowly progressive form of MPS II, harboring the same missense variant in the IDS gene.
- Natural history of 39 patients with Achondroplasia(2018) CERONI, Jose Ricardo Magliocco; SOARES, Diogo Cordeiro de Queiroz; TESTAI, Larissa de Cassia; KAWAHIRA, Rachel Sayuri Honjo; YAMAMOTO, Guilherme Lopes; SUGAYAMA, Sofia Mizuho Miura; OLIVEIRA, Luiz Antonio Nunes de; BERTOLA, Debora Romeo; KIM, Chong AeOBJECTIVES: To characterize the natural history of 39 achondroplastic patients diagnosed by clinical, radiological and molecular assessments. METHODS: Observational and retrospective study of 39 patients who were attended at a public tertiary level hospital between 1995 and 2016. RESULTS: Diagnosis was made prenatally in 11 patients, at birth in 9 patients and within the first year of life in 13 patients. The most prevalent clinical findings were short stature, high forehead, trident hands, genu varum and macrocephaly. The most prevalent radiographic findings were rhizomelic shortening of the long bones and narrowing of the interpediculate distance of the caudal spine. There was motor developmental delay in 18 patients and speech delay in 16 patients. The most common clinical intercurrences were middle ear dysfunction, sleep apnea, limb pain and obesity from 2 to 9 years of age. One patient was large for the gestational age but did not develop obesity. One patient developed hydrocephalus at 10 years old. The current age of the patients varies from 15 months to 36 years. The molecular study performed by Sanger sequencing of the common heterozygous mutation 1138G >A in FGFR3 was positive in all patients. Four cases were inherited, and 35 were sporadic (paternal age from 19 to 66 years). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnoses were made early based on clinical and radiographic findings. All cases were confirmed molecularly. Despite presenting a benign course, it is necessary to establish a systematic protocol for the surveillance of these patients due to the common clinical intercurrences.
- Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, a disorder far from solved(2023) MARTINS, Davi Jardim; LAZZARO FILHO, Ricardo Di; BERTOLA, Debora Romeo; HOCH, Nicolas CarlosRothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a range of clinical symptoms, including poikiloderma, juvenile cataracts, short stature, sparse hair, eyebrows/eyelashes, nail dysplasia, and skeletal abnormalities. While classically associated with mutations in the RECQL4 gene, which encodes a DNA helicase involved in DNA replication and repair, three additional genes have been recently identified in RTS: ANAPC1, encoding a subunit of the APC/C complex; DNA2, which encodes a nuclease/helicase involved in DNA repair; and CRIPT, encoding a poorly characterized protein implicated in excitatory synapse formation and splicing. Here, we review the clinical spectrum of RTS patients, analyze the genetic basis of the disease, and discuss molecular functions of the affected genes, drawing some novel genotype-phenotype correlations and proposing avenues for future studies into this enigmatic disorder.
- Chromosomal microarray analysis in the genetic evaluation of 279 patients with syndromic obesity(2018) D'ANGELO, Carla Sustek; VARELA, Monica Castro; CASTRO, Claudia Irene Emilio de; OTTO, Paulo Alberto; PEREZ, Ana Beatriz Alvarez; LOURENCO, Charles Marques; KIM, Chong Ae; BERTOLA, Debora Romeo; KOK, Fernando; GARCIA-ALONSO, Luis; KOIFFMANN, Celia PriszkulnikBackground: Syndromic obesity is an umbrella term used to describe cases where obesity occurs with additional phenotypes. It often arises as part of a distinct genetic syndrome with Prader-Willi syndrome being a classical example. These rare forms of obesity provide a unique source for identifying obesity-related genetic changes. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has allowed the characterization of new genetic forms of syndromic obesity, which are due to copy number variants (CNVs); however, CMA in large cohorts requires more study. The aim of this study was to characterize the CNVs detected by CMA in 279 patients with a syndromic obesity phenotype. Results: Pathogenic CNVs were detected in 61 patients (22%) and, among them, 35 had overlapping/recurrent CNVs. Genomic imbalance disorders known to cause syndromic obesity were found in 8.2% of cases, most commonly deletions of 1p36, 2q37 and 17p11.2 (5.4%), and we also detected deletions at 1p21.3, 2p25.3, 6q16, 9q34, 16p11.2 distal and proximal, as well as an unbalanced translocation resulting in duplication of the GNB3 gene responsible for a syndromic for of childhood obesity. Deletions of 9p terminal and 22q11.2 proximal/distal were found in 1% and 3% of cases, respectively. They thus emerge as being new putative obesity-susceptibility loci. We found additional CNVs in our study that overlapped with CNVs previously reported in cases of syndromic obesity, including a new case of 13q34 deletion (CHAMP1), bringing to 7 the number of patients in whom such defects have been described in association with obesity. Our findings implicate many genes previously associated with obesity (e.g. PTBP2, TMEM18, MYT1L, POU3F2, SIM1, SH2B1), and also identified other potentially relevant candidates including TAS1R3, ALOX5AP, and GAS6. Conclusion: Understanding the genetics of obesity has proven difficult, and considerable insight has been obtained from the study of genomic disorders with obesity associated as part of the phenotype. In our study, CNVs known to be causal for syndromic obesity were detected in 8.2% of patients, but we provide evidence for a genetic basis of obesity in as many as 14% of cases. Overall, our results underscore the genetic heterogeneity in syndromic forms of obesity, which imposes a substantial challenge for diagnosis.
- Childhood Hypophosphatasia Associated with a Novel Biallelic ALPL Variant at the TNSALP Dimer Interface(2023) MARTINS, Luciane; LESSA, Luis Gustavo F.; ALI, Taccyanna M. M.; LAZAR, Monize; KIM, Chong A. A.; KANTOVITZ, Kamila R. R.; SANTAMARIA, Mauro P. P.; ARAUJO, Cassia F.; RAMOS, Carolina J. J.; FOSTER, Brian L. L.; FRANCO, Jose Francisco S.; BERTOLA, Debora; JR, Francisco H. H. NocitiThe goal of this study was to perform a clinical and molecular investigation in an eight-year-old female child diagnosed with hypophosphatasia (HPP). The proband and her family were evaluated by medical and dental histories, biochemical analyses, radiographic imaging, and genetic analysis of the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) gene. A bioinformatic analysis was performed to predict the structural and functional impact of the point mutations in the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) molecule and to define their potential contribution to the phenotype. We identified a novel combination of heterozygous ALPL missense variants in the proband, p.Ala33Val and p.Asn47His, compatible with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and resulting in skeletal and dental phenotypes. Computational modeling showed that the affected Asn47 residue is located in the coil structure close to the N-terminal alpha-helix, whereas the affected Ala33 residue is localized in the N-terminal alpha-helix. Both affected residues are located close to the homodimer interface, suggesting they may impair TNSALP dimer formation and stability. Clinical and biochemical follow-up revealed improvements after six years of ERT. Reporting this novel combination of ALPL variants in childhood HPP provides new insights into genotype-phenotype associations for HPP and specific sites within the TNSALP molecule potentially related to a childhood-onset HPP and skeletal and dental manifestations. Beneficial effects of ERT are implicated in skeletal and dental tissues.
- Chromosomal microarray analyses from 5778 patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital anomalies in Brazil(2022) V, Ana C. Krepischi; VILLELA, Darine; COSTA, Silvia Souza da; MAZZONETTO, Patricia C.; MIGLIAVACCA, Michele P.; MILANEZI, Fernanda; SANTOS, Juliana G.; GUARISCHI-SOUSA, Rodrigo; CAMPANA, Gustavo; KOK, Fernando; SCHLESINGER, David; KITAJIMA, Joao Paulo; CAMPAGNARI, Francine; BERTOLA, Debora R.; VIANNA-MORGANTE, Angela M.; PEARSON, Peter L.; ROSENBERG, CarlaChromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has been recommended and practiced routinely since 2010 both in the USA and Europe as the first-tier cytogenetic test for patients with unexplained neurodevelopmental delay/intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and/or multiple congenital anomalies. However, in Brazil, the use of CMA is still limited, due to its high cost and complexity in integrating the results from both the private and public health systems. Although Brazil has one of the world's largest single-payer public healthcare systems, nearly all patients referred for CMA come from the private sector, resulting in only a small number of CMA studies in Brazilian cohorts. To date, this study is by far the largest Brazilian cohort (n = 5788) studied by CMA and is derived from a joint collaboration formed by the University of Sao Paulo and three private genetic diagnostic centers to investigate the genetic bases of neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital abnormalities. We identified 2,279 clinically relevant CNVs in 1886 patients, not including the 26 cases of UPD found. Among detected CNVs, the corresponding frequency of each category was 55.6% Pathogenic, 4.4% Likely Pathogenic and 40% VUS. The diagnostic yield, by taking into account Pathogenic, Likely Pathogenic and UPDs, was 19.7%. Since the rational for the classification is mostly based on Mendelian or highly penetrant variants, it was not surprising that a second event was detected in 26% of those cases of predisposition syndromes. Although it is common practice to investigate the inheritance of VUS in most laboratories around the world to determine the inheritance of the variant, our results indicate an extremely low cost-benefit of this approach, and strongly suggest that in cases of a limited budget, investigation of the parents of VUS carriers using CMA should not be prioritized.
- Investigation of 15q11-q13, 16p11.2 and 22q13 CNVs in Autism Spectrum Disorder Brazilian Individuals with and without Epilepsy(2014) MOREIRA, Danielle P.; GRIESI-OLIVEIRA, Karina; BOSSOLANI-MARTINS, Ana L.; LOURENCO, Naila C. V.; TAKAHASHI, Vanessa N. O.; ROCHA, Katia M. da; MOREIRA, Eloisa S.; VADASZ, Estevao; MEIRA, Joanna Goes Castro; BERTOLA, Debora; HALLORAN, Eoghan O'; MAGALHAES, Tiago R.; FETT-CONTE, Agnes C.; PASSOS-BUENO, Maria RitaCopy number variations (CNVs) are an important cause of ASD and those located at 15q11-q13, 16p11.2 and 22q13 have been reported as the most frequent. These CNVs exhibit variable clinical expressivity and those at 15q11-q13 and 16p11.2 also show incomplete penetrance. In the present work, through multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis of 531 ethnically admixed ASD-affected Brazilian individuals, we found that the combined prevalence of the 15q11-q13, 16p11.2 and 22q13 CNVs is 2.1% (11/531). Parental origin could be determined in 8 of the affected individuals, and revealed that 4 of the CNVs represent de novo events. Based on CNV prediction analysis from genome-wide SNP arrays, the size of those CNVs ranged from 206 kb to 2.27 Mb and those at 15q11-q13 were limited to the 15q13.3 region. In addition, this analysis also revealed 6 additional CNVs in 5 out of 11 affected individuals. Finally, we observed that the combined prevalence of CNVs at 15q13.3 and 22q13 in ASD-affected individuals with epilepsy (6.4%) was higher than that in ASD-affected individuals without epilepsy (1.3%; p < 0.014). Therefore, our data show that the prevalence of CNVs at 15q13.3, 16p11.2 and 22q13 in Brazilian ASD-affected individuals is comparable to that estimated for ASD-affected individuals of pure or predominant European ancestry. Also, it suggests that the likelihood of a greater number of positive MLPA results might be found for the 15q13.3 and 22q13 regions by prioritizing ASD-affected individuals with epilepsy.