Subtelomeric study of 132 patients with mental retardation reveals 9 chromosomal anomalies and contributes to the delineation of submicroscopic deletions of 1pter, 2qter, 4pter, 5qter and 9qter

Marie Sogaard, Zeynep Tümer, Helle Hjalgrim, Johanne Hahnemann, Birgitte Friis, Paal Ledaal, Vibeke Faurholt Pedersen, Peter Baekgaard, Niels Tommerup, Sultan Cingöz, Morten Duno, Karen Brøndum-Nielsen

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cryptic chromosome imbalances are increasingly acknowledged as a cause for mental retardation and learning disability. New phenotypes associated with specific rearrangements are also being recognized. Techniques for screening for subtelomeric rearrangements are commercially available, allowing the implementation in a diagnostic service laboratory. We report the diagnostic yield in a series of 132 subjects with mental retardation, and the associated clinical phenotypes. METHODS: We applied commercially available subtelomeric fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). All patients referred for subtelomeric screening in a 5-year period were reviewed and abnormal cases were further characterized clinically and if possible molecularly. RESULTS: We identified nine chromosomal rearrangements (two of which were in sisters) corresponding to a diagnostic yield of approx. 7%. All had dysmorphic features. Five had imbalances leading to recognizable phenotypes. CONCLUSION: Subtelomeric screening is a useful adjunct to conventional cytogenetic analyses, and should be considered in mentally retarded subjects with dysmorphic features and unknown cause.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBMC Medical Genetics
Volume6
Pages (from-to)21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005

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