Methylmalonic acid in amniotic fluid and maternal urine as a marker for neural tube defects / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

To evaluate the implication of methymalonic acid (MMA) in the early diagnosis of neural tube defects (NTD), a quantitative assay for MMA was established by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with stable isotope of MMA as an internal standard. Amniotic fluid and maternal urine MMA concentration, maternal serum folate, red blood cell folate and vitamin B12 levels were measured in the middle term of NTD-affected and normal pregnancies. Amniotic fluid and maternal urine MMA concentrations in the middle term of NTD affected pregnancies (1.4 +/- 0.9 micromol/L, and 22.1 +/- 12.6 nmol/micromol creatinine) were significantly higher than that of normal pregnancies (1.0 +/- 0. 4 micromol/L, and 2.5 +/- 1.1 nmol/micromol creatinine). There was no significant difference between normal and NTD pregnancies for serum folate, red blood cell folate and vitamin B12 levels. The results suggested that MMAs in amniotic fluid and maternal urine are sensitive markers for early diagnosis of NTD. Vitamin B12 is an active cofactor involved in the remethylation of homocycteine and its deficiency is an independent risk factor for NTD. MMA is a specific and sensitive marker for intracellular vitamin B12 deficiency. This study suggests that it is necessary to monitor the vitamin B12 deficiency and advocates vitamin B12 supplementation with folate prevention program.

Diagnóstico y seguimiento de 23 niños con acidurias orgánicas / Diagnosis and follow up of 23 children with organic acidurias

Background: Propionic aciduria (PA) and Methymalonic aciduria (MMA) result from an inherited abnormality of the enzymes propionyl CoA carboxylase and methylmalonyl CoA mutase respectively. This produces marked increases in the amino acids methionine, threonine, valine and isoleucine (MTVI). Their clinical presentation can be neonatal or late onset forms. Aim: To report 23 children with organic acidurias. Material and methods: Twenty three cases of organic acidurias diagnosed since 1980 (17 PA and 6 MMA) and followed at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, are reported. Results: The average age of diagnosis was 3.9 days for the neonatal form and 8.3 months for the late onset form. The most frequent symptoms were hypotonia, lethargy and vomiting. Neonatal PA had mean ammonemias of 1089ñ678.3 µg/dl. The figure for MMA was 933ñ801.9 µg/dl. Seven children were dialyzed and 30 percent died. 16 children are followed and 81.2 percent have normal weight for age. Seven children required gastrostomy because of anorexia and failure to thrive. The nutritional treatment is based on natural and artificial proteins without MTVI, with periodical controls, amino acid and ammonia quantification. Some patients were submitted to enzyme assays and molecular studies. Conclusions: An early diagnosis and a very strict follow up allows a normal development of children with organic aciduras. There is a relationship between prognosis and the presentation form, the nutritional status and the emergency treatment during acute episodes. The importance of the enzymatic and molecular studies is emphasized because they facilitate treatment, accurate diagnosis and allow an adequate genetic counseling

Therapy of metabolic disorders with intravenous (IV) access ports and long term intravenous L-carnitine therapy.

With the expansion of newborn screening to include many organic acidurias and fatty acid oxidation defects, effective therapies of these disorders will be needed. Currently severe disorders such as methylmalonic and propionic aciduria. conventional therapy with diet and oral L-camitine often prove ineffective in preventing failure to thrive and recurrent metabolic decompensations. L-carnitine provides a natural pathway for removal of the toxic metabolites in these disorders and is life saving therapy but, with poor oral absorption (25%), it is difficult to supply adequate carnitine to meet the metabolic needs of these patients. Long term intravenous L-carnitine therapy, administered through a subcutaneous venous access port in 5 patients with organic acidurias [propionic aciduria (2), methylmalonic aciduria (2), 3 methylglutaconic aciduria(1)] resulted in improved growth, lower frequency of metabolic decompensations and increased tolerance of natural protein in the diet. An added benefit was the ability to initiate fluid. electrolytes, and antibiotics during metabolic decompensations at home thus averting hospitalizations.

Methylmalonic aciduria unresponsive to vitamin B12: description of two cases and prenatal diagnosis in a brazilian family

Metilmalonicacidúria secundária à deficiência da mutase da metilmalonil CoA foi diagnosticada em duas crianças filhas de pais näo consangüíneos. A primeira criança morreu um dia antes que o diagnóstico correto fosse feito. Nesse período, sua mäe estava no terceiro trimestre de gestaçäo. Os níveis urinários de ácido metilmalônico foram medidos ao longo do terceiro trimestre de gestaçäo, mostrando um aumento gradual e indicando a presença de um feto homozigoto para a doença. A presença de metilmalonicacidúria foi confirmada no recém-nascido e o tratamento pode ser começado precocemente. A criança está sendo tratada com uma dieta com pouca proteína, com suplementaçäo de uma mistura de aminoácidos (exceto treonina, metionina, valina e isoleucina), DL-carnitina e bicarbonato. Está no momento fisicamente e mentalmente normal com doze meses de idade