A new chromosome deletion syndrome. Report of a patient with a 46,XY,8p- chromosome constitution.

A mentally retarded boy with narrow cranium, high forehead, epicanthic folds, flat nasal bridge, low-set but normal ears, retrognathy, short neck and broad chest with wide-set nipples is described. The routine chromosome and banding analyses revealed a 46,XY,8p- chromosome constitution. The parents had normal chromosomes. On the basis of measurements on reflectodensitometer tracings and of measurements of the individual G-bands directly on photographic prints of the normal and abnormal chromosome 8, an intercalary deletion of band p22 seemed most probable. The clinical features of the patient are compared with the 8p- case of Lubs & Lubs (1973) as well as with four other cases of short arm deletion of an unidentified C-autosome. The clinical features of one of these cases were very similar to those of the boy described. An attempt was made to delineate the clinical characteristics of this new chromosomal deletion syndrome.