Abstract

Two cases of interstitial deletion of chromosome 7 are presented, one involving the short arm and the other the long arm. The cytogenetic, dermatoglyphic, and clinical findings are compared with previously reported cases of chromosome 7 deletion. The patient with a short arm deletion differs clinically from the previously reported cases but, in common with a least one previous case, has a low total finger ridge count. His interstitial deletion involving the 7p13 leads to 7p21 region also differs from 7p deletions reported in earlier cases. The patient with a long arm deletion has an interstitial loss of the region between 7q11 and 7q21, corresponding to one of three groups of 7q deletion that have been recognised. The phenotypic changes in this group are less well defined than in the other two and the patient presented here differs clinically from the previously reported cases, apart from one phenotypically normal mosaic case, in lacking morphological abnormalities. He shares with one previous case both epilepsy and a high intensity of dermal ridge patterns.