No abstract

The Q-band polymorphism of chromosome 21 permits assignment of the origin of meiotic nondisjunction by parent and meiotic division in a certain proportion of cases. We have compiled all reports through 1982 (including earlier studies using structural abnormality) and have shown that maternal origin accounts for 80% and paternal origin for 20% of trisomic cases. The ratio of first:second meiotic errors among the maternal cases was 80:20 and 60:40 among the paternal cases. Considering maternal and paternal first and second meiotic errors, we showed no differences of either mean maternal or paternal age, though mean maternal age is about 5 yr higher than that of the general population. Comparison of results of six studies from five countries showed similar frequencies by parent and meiotic division with the possible exception of one study from the northeastern United States. The causative role of simply advancing maternal age in nondisjunction is questioned.

A female infant was ascertained at 10 weeks because of failure to thrive and a peculiar cry and was found to have few morphologic variants. Her karyotype was 46,XX,del(7)(q3105::q3405). The parental karyotypes were normal. At one year she manifested physical retardation and development delay and required surgery for gastroesophageal incompetence. The phenotypic characteristics of this patient and those of six previously reported cases of 7q medial or distal interstitial deletion include many anomalies. Morphologic abnormalities of the head, ears, eyes, mouth, chest, hands, feet, and nerves combined with characteristics of birth weight, growth, and development define a detectable syndrome. An unusual cry may help in the recognition of this new syndrome.