pathogenic:causing or capable of causing disease,这个词强调某种因素“致病”的机制是明确的,是能够导致疾病发生的。在ACMG的致病性分类中,根据不同的证据和机制,将变异分类为“致病的”,但携带者不一定会有临床表型,也可以是正常表型。比如the highly pathogenic strain of bird flu
causative:effective or operating as a cause or agent,这个词强调某种因素是引起疾病的原因/理由,强调某种因素和疾病之间的因果关系,是一种语言形式,表示“主语”使某行为得以实施或某疾病得以形成,不着重表达内在的、明确的致病机制,也就是说尽管某种因素的致病机制不明确,但该因素存在会引起疾病,两者之间存在(表面上的)因果关系。比如more processed alternatives may be a significant causative factor of obesity
这句话应该能很好地表达两者的区别:pathogenic variants identified in known causative genes.
因此,本文定义的基因“诊断”是指:variant(s) are only considered causative when they are identified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants (P/LP) and have an association with the phenotype. 与表型相关的P/LP变异,意义不明的变异(VUS)和候选变异未包括。