A search for chromosome 22q11.2 deletions in a series of 176 consecutively catheterized patients with congenital heart disease: no evidence for deletions in non-syndromic patients.

Microdeletions in chromosome 22q11.2 are associated with DiGeorge syndrome (DGS), velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS), and several other syndromes, collectively referred to as DG/VCF. Non-dysmorphic patients with cardiac defects have also been attributed to deletions in this chromosomal region. In this study 157 consecutively catheterized patients with isolated, non-syndromic cardiac defects, and 25 patients with cardiac defects and additional stigmata (10 of whom were clinically diagnosed as DG/VCF cases prior to chromosome analysis) were analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridization with the DGS-specific probe D0832. Chromosome 22q11.2 deletions were observed only in the ten patients with the clinical diagnosis of DG/VCF.