Blood ammonia and glutamine as predictors of hyperammonemic crises in patients with urea cycle disorder.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine predictors of ammonia exposure and hyperammonemic crises in patients with urea cycle disorders. METHODS: The relationships between fasting ammonia, daily ammonia exposure, and hyperammonemic crises were analyzed in >100 patients with urea cycle disorders. RESULTS: Fasting ammonia correlated strongly with daily ammonia exposure (r = 0.764; P < 0.001). For patients with fasting ammonia concentrations <0.5 upper limit of normal (ULN), 0.5 to <1.0 ULN, and ≥1.0 ULN, the probability of a normal average daily ammonia value was 87, 60, and 39%, respectively, and 10.3, 14.1, and 37.0% of these patients, respectively, experienced ≥1 hyperammonemic crisis over 12 months. Time to first hyperammonemic crisis was shorter (P = 0.008) and relative risk (4.5×; P = 0.011) and rate (~5×, P = 0.006) of hyperammonemic crises were higher in patients with fasting ammonia ≥1.0 ULN vs. <0.5ULN; relative risk was even greater (20×; P = 0.009) in patients ≥6 years old. A 10- or 25-µmol/l increase in ammonia exposure increased the relative risk of a hyperammonemic crisis by 50 and >200% (P < 0.0001), respectively. The relationship between ammonia and hyperammonemic crisis risk seemed to be independent of treatment, age, urea cycle disorder subtype, dietary protein intake, or blood urea nitrogen. Fasting glutamine correlated weakly with daily ammonia exposure assessed as 24-hour area under the curve and was not a significant predictor of hyperammonemic crisis. CONCLUSION: Fasting ammonia correlates strongly and positively with daily ammonia exposure and with the risk and rate of hyperammonemic crises, suggesting that patients with urea cycle disorder may benefit from tight ammonia control.

Self-reported treatment-associated symptoms among patients with urea cycle disorders participating in glycerol phenylbutyrate clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Health care outcomes have been increasingly assessed through health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures. While the introduction of nitrogen-scavenging medications has improved survival in patients with urea cycle disorders (UCDs), they are often associated with side effects that may affect patient compliance and outcomes. METHODS: Symptoms commonly associated with nitrogen-scavenging medications were evaluated in 100 adult and pediatric participants using a non-validated UCD-specific questionnaire. Patients or their caregivers responded to a pre-defined list of symptoms known to be associated with the use of these medications. Responses were collected at baseline (while patients were receiving sodium phenylbutyrate [NaPBA]) and during treatment with glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB). RESULTS: After 3 months of GPB dosing, there were significant reductions in the proportion of patients with treatment-associated symptoms (69% vs. 46%; p<0.0001), the number of symptoms per patient (2.5 vs. 1.1; p<0.0001), and frequency of the more commonly reported individual symptoms such as body odor, abdominal pain, nausea, burning sensation in mouth, vomiting, and heartburn (p<0.05). The reduction in symptoms was observed in both pediatric and adult patients. The presence or absence of symptoms or change in severity did not correlate with plasma ammonia levels or NaPBA dose. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in symptoms following 3 months of open-label GPB dosing was similar in pediatric and adult patients and may be related to chemical structure and intrinsic characteristics of the product rather than its effect on ammonia control.

Ammonia control and neurocognitive outcome among urea cycle disorder patients treated with glycerol phenylbutyrate.

UNLABELLED: Glycerol phenylbutyrate is under development for treatment of urea cycle disorders (UCDs), rare inherited metabolic disorders manifested by hyperammonemia and neurological impairment. We report the results of a pivotal Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, crossover trial comparing ammonia control, assessed as 24-hour area under the curve (NH3 -AUC0-24hr ), and pharmacokinetics during treatment with glycerol phenylbutyrate versus sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPBA) in adult UCD patients and the combined results of four studies involving short- and long-term glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment of UCD patients ages 6 and above. Glycerol phenylbutyrate was noninferior to NaPBA with respect to ammonia control in the pivotal study, with mean (standard deviation, SD) NH3 -AUC0-24hr of 866 (661) versus 977 (865) µmol·h/L for glycerol phenylbutyrate and NaPBA, respectively. Among 65 adult and pediatric patients completing three similarly designed short-term comparisons of glycerol phenylbutyrate versus NaPBA, NH3 -AUC0-24hr was directionally lower on glycerol phenylbutyrate in each study, similar among all subgroups, and significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the pooled analysis, as was plasma glutamine. The 24-hour ammonia profiles were consistent with the slow-release behavior of glycerol phenylbutyrate and better overnight ammonia control. During 12 months of open-label glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment, average ammonia was normal in adult and pediatric patients and executive function among pediatric patients, including behavioral regulation, goal setting, planning, and self-monitoring, was significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Glycerol phenylbutyrate exhibits favorable pharmacokinetics and ammonia control relative to NaPBA in UCD patients, and long-term glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment in pediatric UCD patients was associated with improved executive function (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00551200, NCT00947544, NCT00992459, NCT00947297). (HEPATOLOGY 2012).

Four cases with hypoplastic thumbs and encephaloceles.

We report on four infants with hypoplastic thumbs and occipital encephaloceles. None had either a chromosome abnormality or a family history of any major malformation. The literature and database were searched intensively. No similar cases were reported previously, suggesting that the constellations might represent a new genetic syndrome.

Newborn screening for hepatorenal tyrosinemia by tandem mass spectrometry: analysis of succinylacetone extracted from dried blood spots.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a method for the determination of succinylacetone (SA) in dried blood spots (DBS) using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). METHODS: SA was extracted from DBS with an acetonitrile and water solution (80:20 by volume) containing formic acid and hydrazine hydrate (both at 0.1% by volume), and analyzed by MS/MS with a total run time per sample under 2 min. The reference range for SA in newborns was determined by analyzing a control group of 3199 DBS. SA was also measured in stored newborn specimens from three patients diagnosed clinically with hepatorenal tyrosinemia (HT). RESULTS: The within-run precision was

Determination of phenylalanine and tyrosine in dried blood specimens by ion-exchange chromatography using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer.

OBJECTIVES: The treatment for phenylketonuria (PKU) includes monitoring blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels on a regular basis. To reduce inconvenience to the patient and family, blood specimens on filter paper can be obtained at home and mailed to the clinic or analytical laboratory. For this reason, we validated an 8-min isothermal and isocratic HPLC method using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer for quantitation of Phe and tyrosine (Tyr) from dried blood specimens (DBS). DESIGN AND METHODS: The method was worked out using DBS fortified with Phe and Tyr. For method comparison, blood samples from 31 PKU patients and 5 non-PKU volunteers were analyzed as DBS by HPLC using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer, and compared both to plasma analyzed by HPLC and DBS analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). RESULTS: For HPLC analysis of DBS, the within-run precision for Phe and Tyr was < or = 5.1% and < or = 4.5%, respectively, and total precision measured over a 3-month period was < or = 7.2% and < or = 8.7%, respectively. Correlation analysis was performed using results from fresh plasma analyzed by HPLC (r = 0.988 for Phe, r = 0.964 for Tyr) and from DBS analyzed by MS/MS (r = 0.960 for Phe, r = 0.942 for Tyr). Difference plots revealed good agreement between the HPLC and MS/MS methods. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of Phe and Tyr in DBS using this HPLC technique compares well with other methods. This technique with its short analytical time is convenient for monitoring patients with PKU and might be particularly useful in centers following many patients.

Practice patterns of mitochondrial disease physicians in North America. Part 1: diagnostic and clinical challenges.

Mitochondrial medicine is a young subspecialty. Clinicians have a limited evidence base on which to formulate clinical decisions regarding diagnosis, treatment and patient management. Mitochondrial medicine specialists have cobbled together an informal set of rules and paradigms for preventive care and management based in part on anecdotal experience. The Mitochondrial Medicine Society (MMS) assessed the current state of clinical practice from diagnosis, to preventive care and treatment, as provided by various mitochondrial disease specialists in North America. We hope that by obtaining this information we can begin moving towards formulating a set of consensus criteria and establishing standards of care.

The importance of gut motility in the metabolic control of propionic acidemia.

We hypothesized that gut motility likely plays a critical role in the metabolic stability in propionic acidemia (PA). Therefore, 4 known patients with PA (aged 47 months to 185 months) were prospectively studied over 7 days in the Clinical Research Center at Children's Hospital, Boston. Determinations of ammonia, bicarbonate, and amino acids in blood; organic acids and propionylglycine in urine; and a lactulose breath test were conducted under two study conditions: on regular therapy (for 4 days) and on regular therapy plus Senekot (Purdue Frederick Company, Norwalk, Conn), an intestinal motility agent (for 3 days). The total gastrointestinal transit time was calculated using 20 nonabsorbable, inert, radio-opaque markers. The addition of an intestinal motility agent resulted in a significant decrease in blood ammonia, urinary excretion of propionylglycine, and a rise in the ratio of free to total carnitine over baseline. We concluded that enhancement of gut motility can improve metabolic stability in patients with PA.