Canavan Disease (ASPA), 4 Variants

Background information for Canavan Disease (ASPA), 4 Variants:
Characteristics: Canavan Disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that results in macrocephaly and lack of head control by 3 to 5 months of age. This progresses to a failure to achieve sitting, ambulation, or speech, and eventually leads to death typically in early childhood to teenage years.
Incidence: 1 in 10,000 Ashkenazi Jewish individuals.
Inheritance: Autosomal recessive.
Cause: ASPA pathogenic variants.
Variants Tested: c.433-2A>G, p.Y231X (c.693C>A), p.E285A (c.854A>C), and p.A305E (c.914C>A).
Clinical Sensitivity: 99 percent in Ashkenazi Jewish individuals; 55 percent in other ethnicities.
Methodology: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence monitoring.
Analytical Sensitivity and Specificity: Greater than 99 percent.
Limitations: Variants other than those tested will not be detected. Diagnostic errors can occur due to rare sequence variations.

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by ARUP Laboratories. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This test was performed in a CLIA certified laboratory and is intended for clinical purposes.

Counseling and informed consent are recommended for genetic testing. Consent forms are available online.