Article Text
Abstract
Background: Pyridoxine-dependent seizures (PDS) is a rare, autosomal recessively inherited disorder. Recently α-aminoadipic semialdehyde (α-AASA) dehydrogenase deficiency was identified as a major cause of PDS, which causes accumulation of both α-AASA and pipecolic acid (PA) in body fluids.
Methods: We studied urinary and plasma α-AASA and PA levels in 12 Dutch clinically diagnosed patients with PDS.
Results: α-AASA was elevated in both urine and plasma in 10 patients. In these patients plasma PA levels were also elevated but urinary PA levels were normal.
Discussion: In all patients with clinically definite PDS, and in most patients with probable or possible PDS, the clinical diagnosis of PDS could be confirmed at the metabolite level. Non-invasive urinary screening for α-AASA accumulation provides a reliable tool to diagnose PDS and can save these patients from the classical and potentially dangerous pyridoxine withdrawal test to prove PDS.
- α-AASA, α-aminoadipic semialdehyde
- PA, pipecolic acid
- PDS, pyridoxine-dependent seizures
- P5P, pyridoxal-5-phosphate
- P6C, piperideine-6-carboxylate
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Footnotes
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Published Online First 6 November 2006
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Competing interests: None.
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