Clinical Findings and Gene Analysis of BH4 Responsive PKU Patients in Korea

BH4 responsive PKU 환자들의 임상적 특성과 유전자분석

Purpose: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the first inherited metabolic disease of which treatment is known. We performed this study to find out clinical symptoms and prognosis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) responsive PKU patients and genetic relation. Methods: Clinical, biochemical, genetic analysis were done retrospectively in 23 patients diagnosed BH4 responsive PKU in Soonchunhyang University Hospital from March 2000 to September 2012. Results: Patients were classified to mild hyperphenylalaninemia and mild phenylketonuria with initial plasma phenylalanine level below 20 mg/dL. After BH4 loading, blood phenylalanine decrease level ranged between 37% and 99%. Initial treatment with low phenylalanine formula or BH4 was started before 2 month after birth except 2 patients. And one of them resulted in developmental delay in language and social activity. The others showed satisfactory progress without developmental delay. In genetic analysis, of 46 allele, R241C allele mutation was identified most commonly (41%). R241C/A259T, R241C/R243Q, R241C/V388M, R241C/T278I was detected in 5 (21.7%), 3 (13%), 2 (8%), 2 (8%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: R241C mutation was detected most frequently in this study group and R243Q mutation which is known to be prevalent in Korean PKU patients was found in 4 patients (8.6%). Early diagnosis and treatment is important in PKU patients.