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Updated: May 14, 2026

Spectral Karyotyping to Study Chromosome Abnormalities in Humans and Mice with Polycystic Kidney Disease
Published on: February 3, 2012
A 47,X,+t(X;X)(p22.3;p22.3)del(X)(p11.23q11.2),Y Klinefelter variant with morbid obesity
Youngsook Kim1, Won Jin Kim, Ji Hye Huh
1Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Abstract:
Klinefelter syndrome is the most common type of genetic cause of hypogonadism. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of 1 or more extra X chromosomes. Phenotype manifestations of this syndrome are small testes, fibrosis of the seminiferous tubules, inability to produce sperm, gynecomastia, tall stature, decrease of serum testosterone and increases of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. Most patients with Klinefelter syndrome are tall, with slender body compositions, and reports of obesity are rare. We report the case of a 35-yr-old man with hypogonadism and morbid obesity and diabetes mellitus. He had gynecomastia, small testes and penis, very sparse body hair and his body mass index was 44.85. He did not report experiencing broken voice and was able to have erections. We conducted a chromosome study. His genotype was 47,X,+t(X;X)(p22.3;p22.3)del(X)(p11.23q11.2). In this case, the patient was diagnosed as Klinefelter syndrome. He showed rare phenotypes like morbid obesity and average height and the phenotype may be caused by the karyotype and the excess number of X chromosome. Further studies of the relationship between chromosomes and phenotype are warranted.
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