High Genetic Diagnostic Yield of Whole Exome Sequencing in Children with Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Introduction: Nowadays, the diagnostic rate of childhood epilepsies is increasing rapidly in parallel with the advances in genetic technology. In this study, it was aimed to reveal the diagnostic yield of whole exome sequencing (WES) in children with epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Methods: Children aged 1 to 17 years with epilepsy and NDD who underwent WES were included in this retrospective study. Demographic, epilepsy and NDD characteristics, and WES results were recorded. Results: WES was performed in 36.6% of cases. Various single nucleotide variants were detected in 86.3% of cases tested by WES, and the diagnostic yield on a case-by-case basis was found to be 50%. Discussion: The diagnostic yield of WES is quite high in children with epilepsy and NDDs without a definitive diagnosis. Revealing the genetic causes of childhood epilepsy brings up effective and individualized treatment options.