“I believe that Wolfram syndrome is an underdiagnosed disease. Wolfram syndrome is characterized by juvenile-onset diabetes, optic nerve atrophy, diabetes insipidus, deafness, neurogenic bladder, and symptoms related to brain cell dysfunction. However, I have discovered that Wolfram syndrome gene (WFS1) mutations result in manifestations that range from mild to severe. I know diabetes patients who carry WFS1 gene mutations and have not developed any other cardinal symptoms of Wolfram syndrome, such as optic nerve atrophy. This is called the spectrum of disease. To provide an accurate diagnosis, I have been developing “genetic testing” for screening Wolfram syndrome and Wolfram-related diseases. Using a single tube of blood, I would like to provide an accurate diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis serves as a basis for targeted therapy. An accurate diagnosis provides a sense of relief”.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
As you now have heard from Samantha, I have determined that the Wolfram Research Clinic that was tentatively All of the Wolfram team is sad that we will not be able to see all of you in July. Please know that you are still a very high priority and that this bump will not derail the work at Washington University. We will not allow that to happen! You likely all saw the update from Dr. Barrett in the UK that his intervention trial is not yet underway as they also work through issues, but that it is making progress. Dr. Urano’s dantrolene study is moving along and he will be updating you on those results soon.
The Association du Syndrome de Wolfram meeting is coming up in June and Drs. Hershey and Urano and I will be going to hear updates from the other groups working on the syndrome alongside us, so we will update you in the next newsletter.
Some of the information you all have contributed by participating in the TRACK study was used to develop a paper led by Dr. Barrett’s group: Monogenic diabetes syndromes: Locus-specific databases for Alstrom, Wolfram, and Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia. Human Mutation. 38(7):764-777, 2017 Jul.
This paper analyzes the specific gene changes in 309 people with WFS1 gene alterations in order to determine which changes are likely to cause a particular presentation in a person – for example, some genetic changes cause full-blown Wolfram Syndrome, which others cause diabetes mellitus without other features, others cause hearing loss without other features, etc. This will be very helpful information for patients at the time of diagnosis, getting their genetic testing results and wondering what to expect for their health.
As always, please get in touch if you need assistance with your health or with letters to insurance, etc.
All the best,
Bess Marshall, MD
Pediatric Endocrinologist Medical Director, WU Wolfram Syndrome Research Clinic
Washington University School of Medicine
Email: Marshall@kids.wustl.edu
Need Help? For questions or requests regarding the Wolfram Syndrome Research Clinic please contact the WFS Research Clinic Coord., Samantha Ranck, MSW at 314.362.6514 or rancks@npg.wustl.edu
Wolfram Research Clinic Update- Tamara Hershey, PhD
Dear Research Clinic Families,
As you now have heard from Samantha, I have determined that the Wolfram Research Clinic that was tentatively scheduled for July 2018 will not be able to happen. This was a very difficult decision, but ultimately, we felt it was the most ethical choice. Due to delays in NIH’s funding decision and its impact on our ability to prepare, we just could not provide the kind of experience you deserve and that the research demands. We felt that having a clinic under those circumstances would be a disservice to us all. Please know that we care deeply about you and this research and will start planning with enthusiasm once we get our funding notification. I’m assured by NIH that it will come soon, but there are many bureaucratic hurdles that they have to overcome due to their backlog. While we are very disappointed that the clinic will not happen as we had originally imagined for 2018, we already have several ideas of what we could do to make future clinics even better, such as Tasha’s work on the questionnaires, holding mini clinics throughout the year, and adding some testing of siblings without Wolfram Syndrome. We also continue to work towards analyzing and publishing the data that have already been collected, thus providing other researchers and clinicians with important information. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for the uncertainty that the funding situation has caused. We will keep you informed of any new information. Please feel free to contact me personally with any questions.
Sincerely,
Tamara Hershey, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry & Radiology Departments
Lab Chief, Neuroimaging Labs (NIL) @ MIR
Co-Director, Neuroscience PhD Program, DBBS
Washington University School of Medicine
Email: tammy@wustl.edu
Need Help? For questions or requests regarding the Wolfram Syndrome Research Clinic please contact the WFS Research Clinic Coord., Samantha Ranck, MSW at 314.362.6514 or rancks@npg.wustl.edu
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