A rare unbalanced translocation (trisomy 5q33.3-qter, monosomy 13q34-qter) results in growth hormone deficiency and brain anomalies

Background: Unbalanced translocations between the q arm of chromosomes 5 and 13 are exceedingly rare and there is only one reported case with distal trisomy 5q/monosomy 13q. In this report, we describe a second patient with a similar rearrangement arising from a paternal balanced translocation.

Methods: Karyotype analysis was performed on the proband and their parents. Microarray was also conducted on the proband.

Results: Our patient was found to have global developmental delay, distinct facial features, short stature, growth hormone deficiency, delayed puberty, and brain anomalies including a small pituitary. Karyotype and microarray analysis revealed a terminal duplication of chromosome regions 5q33.3 to 5qter and a terminal deletion of chromosome regions 13q34 to 13qter that resulted from a balanced translocation in her father. The endocrine abnormalities and neuroimaging findings have not been previously described in patients with either copy number change.

Conclusions: This case helps expand on the phenotype of patients with distal trisomy 5q/monosomy 13q as well as possibly providing useful information on the more common individual copy number changes.