A 35-year-old-man presented with nephrotic syndrome due to mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis; he later developed a potassium-losing state, generalized amino aciduria and glycosuria. Clinical and biochemical improvement occurred after steroid therapy. The possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed.

Mevalonic aciduria is described in two very low birthweight siblings with unspecific clinical signs and recurrent septicaemia. Both died within the first 2 months of life. DNA analysis showed a novel mutation in the gene encoding mevalonate kinase.

Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency is the most frequently described metabolic disorder of fatty acid oxidation in humans. Acute episodes are usually characterized biochemically by the appearance of nonketotic dicarboxylic aciduria. In addition, other abnormal metabolites, such as suberylglycine, n-hexanoylglycine, 3-phenylpropionylglycine, and octanoylcarnitine, are excreted ...

Clinical signs and symptoms of organic acidurias are usually subtle and non-specific. Laboratory evaluation, therefore, is usually the only conclusive way to reach a definitive diagnosis. Defects of amino acid catabolism generally caused by diminished activity or complete absence of specific enzymes usually occurs at the later stages of a pathway and results in organic aciduria. Most of these a...

3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type I is an autosomal recessive disorder clinically characterized by various symptoms ranging from delayed speech development to severe neurological handicap. This disorder is caused by a deficiency of 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase, one of the key enzymes of leucine degradation. This results in elevated urinary levels of 3-methylglutaconic acid, 3-methylglutaric ...

Many inborn errors of metabolism are characterized by an increase in the concentrations of various carboxylic acids in blood and urine. For example, the metabolic disorders propionic acidemia [ 11, methylmalonic aciduria [ 2,3], maple syrup urine disease [4], isovaleric acidemia [ 41 and glutaric aciduria type II [ 5,6] show increased amounts of volatile carboxylic acids in blood or urine. Proc...