De novo 16p deletion: ATR-16 syndrome

We describe a child with alpha-thalassemia ascertained by newborn screening. Evaluation at 9 months of age showed minor anomalies and developmental delay. Chromosomal analysis demonstrated a de novo deletion of the most distal portion of the short arm of chromosome 16, which contains the alpha-globin genes. Analysis of the alpha-globin locus by Southern blot analysis did not demonstrate altered band sizes at this locus; however, analysis of the films using densitometry confirmed hemizygosity. This is the fifth reported case of the ATR-16 syndrome (alpha-thalassemia retardation-16) not complicated by duplication or deletion of other chromosomes.