Precision medicine (PGx) aims to customize health care, with decisions and treatments tailored to each individual in every way possible. Pharmacogenomics is part of precision medicine. Although genomic testing is still a relatively new development in drug treatment, this field is rapidly expanding. Currently, more than 200 drugs have label information regarding pharmacogenomic biomarkers — some measurable or identifiable genetic information that can be used to individualize the use of a drug.
Newborn Hearing Loss DNA Test
Preterm infants are at high risk for both early-onset and late-onset, hospital-acquired bloodstream infections. Aminoglycoside antibiotics are commonly used in the empiric treatment of suspected infections among these infants. A number of mutations in mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) are known to increase the risk of developing irreversible hearing loss after exposure to aminoglycoside antibiotics. An aminoglycoside antibiotic, such as gentamycin, tobramycin, amikacin, kanamycin, or streptomycin, is frequently used in the first few days after birth to prevent possible early-onset sepsis. Screening at-risk mothers might overcome this problem.
Cystic Fibrosis Hearing Loss DNA Test
People with CF are often treated with a class of drugs known as aminoglycoside antibiotics, These powerful antibiotics are life savers for people with cystic fibrosis. However, doctors have recently reported that these antibiotics can cause ototoxicity or permanent hearing loss in CF patients. Predisposition to aminoglycoside, caused by aminoglycoside exposure is known to be associated with pathogenic variants in the MT-RNR1 gene. Nonsyndromic mitochondrial hearing loss and deafness are transmitted by maternal inheritance. This Proactive DNA Test can help to avoid aminoglycoside-induced deafness.
