https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3869-8593
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ABSTRACT
Background
Chromosome 4q deletions are rare disorders phenotypically characterized by several features. The most commonly described ocular abnormalities include unilateral microphthalmia with bilateral colobomata, blue sclerae with pigmented retinal clumps, hypermetropia, and a divergent squint.
Purpose
To report a case of 4q12 deletion with a singular retinal feature.
Materials and methods
Case report.
Results
A 20-year-old Caucasian female with a history of poliosis, progressive appearance of small areas of skin depigmentation along trunk and limbs since birth and diagnosis of learning deficit was referred for a complete ocular examination. The genetic counseling showed microdeletion in the 4q12 region. An audiometric test was performed, showing a progressive bilateral neurosensorial hypoacusia. Ocular examination showed the presence of multifocal, tiny, whitish deposits in the posterior pole. Multimodal imaging defined the lesions as small elevations of the retinal pigment epithelium with slight hyper-autofluorescence and staining in the late phase of fluoresceine angiography (FA). Visual acuity was 20/20. The retinal findings did not change during the three-month follow-up.
Conclusions
Although the findings herein reported have never been described before in patients affected by 4q12 mutations, we do not exclude that they could represent a manifestation of the peculiar genetic asset of the patient, related to dysfunction in pigment epithelium/neuroretinal metabolic activity.
Acknowledgment
The three of several authors of this publication are members of the European Reference Network for Pediatric Cancer PaedCan.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.