Infants and children with unexplained epilepsy should undergo genetic testing, as the results can significantly impact management decisions, according to researchers who studied its use in a clinical setting.
Presenting at AES 2021, Dr Isabel Haviland from Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts, USA, said: “A genetic diagnosis impacted medical management for nearly three out of four children in our study. About two-thirds of pediatric epilepsy is unexplained, and genetic testing should be offered in these cases because of the significant potential impact on management, including on clinical treatment and eligibility for clinical studies.”