Genetic epidemiology of Moroccan pediatric cochlear implantation patients.

BACKGROUND

Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, with genetic factors accounting for up to 60% of congenital or prelingual onset deafness. Cochlear implantation is widely used as an effective treatment for patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss; however, the genetic background in Moroccan cochlear implant patients remains unclear.

AIMS/

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the genetic background of congenital or pre-lingual onset severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss in pediatric patients who received cochlear implantation.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

In this study, we enrolled 88 patients who underwent cochlear implantation and genetic diagnosis using next-generation sequencing with a panel covering 158 previously reported causative genes.

RESULTS

We identified the genetic cause in 58 of the 88 patients, with a genetic diagnostic rate of 65.9%. We identified 28 genes associated with Moroccan pediatric cochlear implant patients. The most prevalent genetic cause identified in this study was the GJB2 gene (12.5%), followed by MYO7A (6.8%) and CDH23 (4.5%).

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The study highlights the importance of genetic screening in pediatric cochlear implant patients and underscores the potential of gene therapy for treating genetic hearing loss.