• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 2002

Methylmalonic acidemia is an inborn error of branched chain amino acid metabolism, clinically characterized by lethargy, vomiting, and hypertonia with abnormal movements, and biochemically characterized by ketoacidosis, hyperammonemia, and sometimes hyperglycinemia. Conventional treatment of methylmalonic acidemia incluides dietary protein restriction, bicarbonate, carnitine, and metronidazole. However, most patient have recurrent episodes of acidosis, and a significant number have neurologic deficits and renal impairment. We report the successful treatment of a patient with methylmalonic acidemia by liver transplantation.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.249-255
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• 2001

Methylmalonic acidemia is a rare congenital autosomal recessive metabolic disease. It is caused by blocking in the pathways of isoleucine, valine, threonine, methionine, cholesterol and odd-chain fatty acids to succinyl CoA, resulting in the increase of L-methylmalonyl CoA and methylmalonic acid. In most cases, there are symptoms such as recurrent vomitings, lethargy and laboratory abnormalities including metabolic acidosis and hyperammonemia from the neonatal period. We had a 6-month-old infant with methylmalonyl acidemia who presented with recurrent vomiting episodes since 3 months of age, failure to thrive and developmental delay. The laboratory findings showed hyperammoninemia and ketotic metabolic acidosis. Plasma amino acid analysis showed nonspecific finding. Urine organic acid ananysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry detected large amount of methylmalonic acid excreted in the urine. We restrained the supply of protein in the amount of 1~1.5 g/kg of body weight a day using leucine, isoleucine and valine-r-estrained milk and administered vitamine $B_{12}$, in the amount of 1mg per day. During the follow-up in the outpatient clinic, He could control his head and showed increased muscle strength.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2018

Methylmalonic acidemia is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by complete (mut0) or partial (mut-) deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT) or by defects in the synthesis of adenosylcobalamin (cblA, cblB, cblD variant 2). Long term complications of methylmalonic acidemia include tubulointerstitial nephritis with progressive renal failure, intellectual impairment, pancreatitis, and growth failure. We report a case of methylmalonic acidemia in a girl who diagnosed at 6 days after birth. She has developed recurrent metabolic crises with hyperammonemia and metabolic acidosis. In addition, she suffered from the chronic complications including tubulointerstitial nephritis, electrolyte imbalance associated with renal dysfunction, growth failure and fracture of femur shaft. At the age of 10 years, hypercalcemia and severe osteoporosis were noted, and pamidronate therapy was given for two years, which relieved hypercalcemia and osteoporosis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 2003

Acute hyperammonemia is a medical emergency in the newborn. Efficient, prompt removal of serum ammonia is essential in preventing irreversible brain damage in order to prevent the profound central nervous system dysfunction due to hyperammonia. We report a case of 2.3 kg, 5-day old girl with methylmalonic acidemia who presented with severe hyperammonemia and was successfully treated with continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration(CVVHDF). CVVHDF is an effective and safe method of ammonia removal in the newborn.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.50-54
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• 2018

Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions, because of their particular interpretation of the Old and New Testaments. When people with such religious convictions are in need of medical care, their faith and belief may become an obstacle for proper treatment, and pose legal, ethical, and medical challenges for the health care providers. We report two inherited metabolic disorder cases in South Korea where the infants died whilst under medical care because of parental refusal of blood transfusions for religious reasons. Case 1 had methylmalonic acidemia, Down syndrome and associated congenital cardiac anomalies requiring surgery. Case 2 had anemia and methylmalonic acidemia requiring dialysis to treat hyperammonemia and metabolic acidosis. For effective medical management, they needed life-saving blood transfusions. As a part of alternative treatment, Erythropoietin was administered in both cases. As a result, two babies died from their extremely low hemoglobin and hematocrit. The hemoglobin concentrations below 2.7 g/dL without cardiac problem and 5.4 g/dL with cardiac anomaly complicated by pulmonary hypertension are considered life-threatening hemoglobin threshold. The medical professional must respect and accommodate religious beliefs of the patients who can make informed decisions. However, when parents or legal guardians oppose medical treatment of their babies and incompetent care receivers on cultural and religious grounds, the duty to assist and save persons exposed to serious danger, particularly life-threatening events must come first.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.174-177
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• 2014

Isolated methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a group of autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism caused by impaired activity of methylmalonyl-coenzyme A mutase (MCM). Mutations in the gene encoding MCM (MUT ) is the most common cause of isolated MMA. In this report, we identify an asymptomatic 15 days old female who had elevated C3-acylcarnitine (C3) in the newborn screening. Her serum homocysteine was normal and urine methylmalonic acid was increased that suggested isolated MMA. She was maintained on a low-protein diet and carnitine supplementation. At 3 months of age, she was still asymptomatic and had normal growth. We analyzed MUT gene mutations. Two heterozygote mutations in the MUT gene were identified including c.323G>A and c.1672+2T>C (IVS8(+2)T>C. Among these, c.1672+2T>C (IVS8(+2)T>C) have not been described previously.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2017

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by an abnormal accumulation of methylmalonyl-CoA and methylmalonate in body fluids without hyperhomocysteinemia. Cardiac disease is a rarely known lethal complication of MMA, herein, we report a Korean neonate diagnosed with MMA on the basis of biochemical and genetic findings, who developed cardiomyopathy, resulting in sudden death. The patient presented vomiting and lethargy at 3 days of age. Initially, the patient had an increased plasma propionylcarnitine/acetylcarnitine concentration ratio of 0.49 in a tandem mass spectrometry analysis and an elevated ammonia level of $537{\mu}mol/L$. Urine organic acid analysis showed increased excretion of methylmalonate. Subsequent sequence analysis of the methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT) gene revealed compound heterozygous mutations c.323G>A (p.Arg108His) in exon 1 and c.1033_1034del (p. Leu345Serfs*15) in exon 4, the latter being a novel mutation. In summary, this is the first case of MMA and cardiomyopathy in Korea that was confirmed by genetic analysis to involve a novel MUT mutation.

• 대한소아신장학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.12-14
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• 2007

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2004

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.288-294
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• 2021

Purpose: Despite aggressive medical and nutritional management, patients with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) often suffer from multi-organ damage. Early deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) has emerged as an intervention to prevent disease progression. We investigated the efficacy of living donor LT (LDLT) with a potential carrier of MMA and a small volume of graft in patients with MMA as an alternative to DDLT. Methods: Of five patients (three male, two female; median age 5.7 years; range, 1.3-13.7 years), four underwent carrier LDLT, while one underwent non-carrier auxiliary LDLT. All patients received pre- and post-LT continuous renal replacement therapy and were provided with minimal restriction diet according to serum MMA level after LT. MMA levels in the serum and urine, the incidence of metabolic crisis, and clinical findings before and after LT were compared. Results: The survival rate was 100% during 2.2 years of follow up period after LT. In all five cases, MMA titer in the serum after transplantation decreased with less restrictive diet. Metabolic crisis was not observed during the follow-up period. In addition, no patient showed progression of severe renal impairment requiring hemodialysis. Progression of delayed cognitive development was not observed. Social functioning with improved neuropsychiatric development was observed. Conclusion: This study showed that LDLT achieved improved quality of life with less restrictive diet, therefore it could be a feasible alternative option to DDLT for the treatment of patients with MMA, even with an auxiliary LT.