Distal 4p microdeletion in a case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

BACKGROUND: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a well-known genetic condition characterized by typical facial anomalies, midline defects, skeletal anomalies, prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, hypotonia, mental retardation, and seizures. Affected patients with a microdeletion on distal 4p present a milder phenotype that lacks congenital malformations. WHS is rarely associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and only 8 cases are reported in the literature. In almost all cases of CDH and WHS a large deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 is present.

CASE: A microdeletion of 2.6 Mb on distal 4p associated with CDH and multiple congenital malformations (i.e., cleft palate) is reported for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS: Such a microdeletion should prompt a molecular study for WHS when in a fetus/newborn with CDH the association with cleft lip/palate and typical facial appearance (flat facial profile, hypertelorism) is found.