MADERA,
Calif., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- What if
a gentle swab of an infant's cheek was all it took to know if
giving them a common antibiotic could also lead to long-term
hearing loss?
That is what Valley Children's Precision Medicine Program is
doing: the team is the first in the nation to use a revolutionary
genetic test that can quickly let a doctor know if their tiny
patient is at higher risk of hearing damage from a type of
antibiotic known as an aminoglycoside. Once a doctor knows that the
baby has a particular version of a key hearing gene, they can then
choose a different course of care to treat an infection.
"Genes are like the individual instructions in a book that tell
the body how to build and work, so understanding them is important
in creating a treatment plan for each patient," said Dr.
Jeremy Woods, Valley Children's
geneticist and director of the Precision Medicine Program.
Aminoglycosides are a class of antibiotics often used to treat
infections for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
But in addition to attacking bacteria, the medicines can also
attack human proteins that are vital to hearing development. That's
not usually a problem, but for babies born with certain variants of
the MT-RNR1 gene, the risk for aminoglycoside-induced
hearing loss (AIHL) is much greater. Insights suggest that this
could be the explanation for at least 1% of hearing loss that
occurs in children before language development, and likely
more.
The problem until now was being able to check the baby's genetic
"map" quickly if they got sick. Valley Children's has solved that
with a simple, non-invasive test. A small saliva sample from the
baby's cheek is then analyzed by a special machine that tests for
changes in the MT-RNR1 gene. The machine is no larger than
an inkjet printer and can deliver results to physicians in under an
hour when time is of the essence. Valley Children's Precision
Medicine team is conducting MT-RNR1 rapid testing for
patients outside of the hospital, with plans to standardize this
process for babies in the hospital later this year.
"Previously, we would have to wait weeks for the results of
MT-RNR1 genetic testing. Now, we can have results back in
under an hour," Dr. Woods said. "That gives us plenty of time to
choose a safer antibiotic to treat a seriously ill baby."
This life-changing advancement is one of several innovative
tools pioneered by Valley Children's Precision Medicine Program.
Earlier this year, the hospital began using an advanced genetic
testing module as part of the electronic patient information
system. This system allows providers to effortlessly order a
comprehensive genetic test (whole genome sequencing) that includes
one or both parents and provides instant care recommendations based
on a child's specific genetic map.
Valley Children's was also one of only five institutions to
participate in a Medi-Cal pilot program called Project Baby Bear,
which used rapid whole genome sequencing to improve the care for
critically ill infants with undiagnosed illnesses.
"Standardizing genome testing in the NICU underscores our
commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technology and genetics to
provide our patients with more than the best care, but the
specialized kind of care they need," Dr. Woods said.
About Valley Children's Healthcare
Valley
Children's Healthcare provides Central
California's only high-quality, comprehensive care
exclusively for children, from before birth to young adulthood. Our
network offers highly specialized medical and surgical
services to care for children with conditions ranging from common
to the highly complex at its 358-bed stand-alone children's
hospital that includes 28 NICU beds at partner hospitals. In
addition, the Valley Children's Healthcare network includes
specialty care centers, pediatric primary care practices and
women's health services.
Our family-centered, pediatric services extend from a leading
pediatric cancer and blood diseases center on the West Coast, and a
pediatric heart center known for its expertise and pioneering
treatments, to an 88-bed Regional Level IV neonatal intensive care
unit (NICU), the highest-level referral center between Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Valley Children's was the first children's hospital west of
the Rockies to receive Magnet Nursing designation, the highest
nursing benchmark in the world. In 2023, U.S. News and World Report
again named Valley Children's one of the best children's hospitals
in the country in seven pediatric specialties. With more than 670
physicians and 3,500 staff, Valley Children's delivers
high-quality, comprehensive care to more than 1.3 million children
from Kern County to the state
capital and from the Central Coast to the Sierra. For more
information, please
visit www.valleychildrens.org
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SOURCE Valley Children's Healthcare