Consensus Recommendations for the Clinical Management of Wolfram syndrome Using a Delphi Method

This paper provides the first international clinical consensus guidelines for managing Wolfram syndrome, with 35 statements achieving strong agreement among experts.

Summary and findings

This paper presents consensus recommendations for the clinical management of Wolfram syndrome, based on a review of 273 publications and expert feedback. The consensus statements cover various clinical domains and were developed through a Delphi process involving international specialists. All 35 statements achieved ≥80% agreement among participants.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4> Wolfram syndrome is a rare neurodegenerative disorder, most commonly caused by pathogenic variants in WFS1 , while cases due to CISD2 are exceedingly rare. The estimated prevalence is 1 in 160,000 to 770,000 individuals worldwide. In these clinical guidelines, disorders caused by WFS1 are referred to as WFS1 -Wolfram syndrome, and those caused by CISD2 as CISD2 -Wolfram syndrome. Historically, it has been characterized by early-onset, antibody-negative, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, progressive optic atrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, arginine vasopressin deficiency, and brainstem and cerebellar atrophy. More recently, partial and late onset forms have been identified. There are currently no licensed disease-modifying treatments, and international clinical guidelines have not previously been established. <h4>Methods</h4> An international steering committee systematically reviewed 273 peer-reviewed publications and generated draft consensus statements across six clinical domains. These statements were evaluated by international specialists in endocrinology, clinical genetics, neurology, ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology, psychiatry, and urology, drawn from North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, and Asia, using a modified three-round Delphi process. Additional feedback was incorporated from nurses specializing in multidisciplinary Wolfram syndrome care, from leaders of international patient organizations, and from specialists in the genetic diagnosis of monogenic diabetes. Structured feedback from patients and families was gathered through multiple international patient advocacy organizations. Consensus was defined as ≥80% agreement. <h4>Results</h4> All 35 final consensus statements reached the pre-specified consensus threshold of ≥80% agreement, spanning diagnosis and genetic testing, multidisciplinary care organization, neuro-ophthalmology, neurology, endocrinology, urology, gastroenterology, and psychiatry. <h4>Conclusions</h4> These guidelines are the first international clinical consensus for Wolfram syndrome and provide actionable recommendations for clinicians worldwide. Implementation should be accompanied by a prospective audit to expand the evidence base and support future iterations.

Limitations

Not reported in abstract.

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