The Genetic Basis of Congenital Heart Disease in Africa

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Recent advances in genomic techniques are making possible a new wave of genetic discovery in congenital heart disease (CHD). Existing data suggests that CHD occur in Sub-Saharan Africa at frequencies similar to the rest of the world. In this application, we propose to utilize the unique advantages of Sub-Saharan Africa - a combination of the most genetically diverse populations in the world and of diminished environmental background effects (i.e. low prevalence of smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity in comparison to western countries) - to better understand the genetic basis for congenital heart disease. We will couple next generation genomic techniques with more traditional gene discovery methods to investigate CHD in two African countries: Uganda and Nigeria. The inclusion of syndromic and non-syndromic CHD observed in these populations as well as careful phenotyping (including echocardiography) will greatly enhance our potential to provide insight into the genetic architecture of CHD in African populations. To accomplish this, we plan to enroll families, in whom members have congenital heart malformations consistent with an error of early human development in our research protocol. Patients will be enrolled at the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala, Uganda, and at the Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria, with the potential to include other African sites. High throughput genomic studies will be done at the NIH.

Detailed Description
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Recent advances in genomic techniques are making possible a new wave of genetic discovery in congenital heart disease (CHD). Existing data suggests that CHD occur in Sub-Saharan Africa at frequencies similar to the rest of the world. In this application, we propose to utilize the unique advantages of Sub-Saharan Africa - a combination of the most genetically diverse populations in the world and of diminished environmental background effects (i.e. low prevalence of smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity in comparison to western countries) - to better understand the genetic basis for congenital heart disease. We will couple next generation genomic techniques with more traditional gene discovery methods to investigate CHD in two African countries: Uganda and Nigeria. The inclusion of syndromic and non-syndromic CHD observed in these populations as well as careful phenotyping (including echocardiography) will greatly enhance our potential to provide insight into the genetic architecture of CHD in African populations. To accomplish this, we plan to enroll families, in whom members have congenital heart malformations consistent with an error of early human development in our research protocol. Patients will be enrolled at the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala, Uganda, and at the Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria, with the potential to include other African sites. High throughput genomic studies will be done at the NIH.

Official Title
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The International Genetic Basis of Congenital Heart Disease Study

Conditions
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Congenital Heart Disease, Heart Disease

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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INCLUSION CRITERIA: The study will include affected individuals and their affected/or unaffected family members. Family members will include parents and siblings. The goal will to be obtaining a minimum of a trio (affected and both parents) to increase probability of finding gene mutations. Clinical criteria for inclusion is defined as presence of a congenital cardiac malformation related to errors in early human development. The diagnosis of congenital heart disease (presence of a congenital cardiac malformation thought to be related to errors in early human development) will be made by a cardiologist on our team based on echocardiogram (performed by C.S., A.B. or E.E.), physical examination, medical history, and review of medical record. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Anyone unwilling to provide informed consent (for themselves as adults, or on behalf of their children as minors) or assent.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 1 Month

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Congenital Heart Disease<br>Congenital Heart Disease | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genetic Diagnosis | The primary outcome is a genetic diagnosis for congenital heart disease. There are no treatments. | One patient visit only | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Genomics, Birth Defects, Congenital Heart Disease, Natural History