High frequencies of biotinidase (BTD) gene mutations in the Hungarian population.

Biotinidase deficiency, an autosomal recessively inherited disorder, is characterized by neurologic and cutaneous symptoms and can be detected by newborn screening. In Hungary the national screening programme was launched in 1989 with two screening centres. Over 1,070,000 neonates from western Hungary were screened for biotinidase deficiency in the Budapest Screening Centre between 1989 and December 2008.

Molecular and clinical analysis of patients with classic and Duarte galactosemia in western Hungary.

Background: Classic galactosemia is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder caused by deficient activity of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase. The disorder can be detected by newborn screening and in Hungary the national screening program was launched in 1976 with two screening centers. The aim of this study was the molecular characterization of the genotypes and analysis of genotype-phenotype correlation among patients with classic or variant galactosemia.

[Frequencies of the Los Angeles and Duarte galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase variant alleles in the Hungarian population].

Unlabelled: Classical galactosaemia is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder caused by deficient activity of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT), which can be detected by newborn screening. The p.N314D mutation defines two variant forms of the GALT enzyme, the Los Angeles and Duarte, depending on the presence of additional base changes.

[Convulsions in neonatal period and infancy with rare etiology (neurogenetic disease)].

Authors summarized the etiology of convulsions in neonatal period and infancy (hypoxia, intracranial hemorrhage, infections of central nervous system, metabolic background, chromosomal abnormalities, brain developmental abnormalities, benign neonatal convulsions, benign neonatal familial convulsions, drug withdrawal, inborn error of metabolism). They suggest screening examinations after convulsion, summarized the basic principle of tandem examination and review a proposal at suspicion of inborn error of enzyme defects (aminoacidemias, defects of fatty acid oxidation, organic acidemias). They present case history of two patients suffered in extraordinary inborn error of enzyme defect (SCO2 gene mutation, propionic acidemia).

Outcome and long-term follow-up of 36 patients with tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency.

We describe the treatment, the clinical, and biochemical findings and the outcome of 26 patients with 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS) deficiency and 10 patients with dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) deficiency. These are the two most common forms of the autosomal-recessively inherited tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency. Time of diagnosis, dosage of BH4 and neurotransmitter precursors, folinic acid substitution, and levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are essential parameters in the follow-up of patients.

Mutations causing biotinidase deficiency in children ascertained by newborn screening in Western Hungary.

In Hungary the national newborn screening programme for the detection of biotinidase deficiency was launched in 1989. In this study, we determined the genotypes of all patients identified at the Budapest Screening Centre that covers half of the country. The incidence of the disorder in Western Hungary is about three times the worldwide incidence.

Lower prevalence of IL-4 receptor alpha-chain gene G variant in very-low-birth-weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis.

Background/purpose: Altered production of immunoregulatory cytokines is associated with the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. According to data obtained in adults, functional genetic polymorphisms influence cytokine production capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether functional polymorphisms of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-4 receptor alpha-chain (IL-4ra), IL-6, and IL-10 genes might be associated with the risk of NEC in VLBW infants.

Genetic variants of TNF-[FC12]a, IL-1beta, IL-4 receptor [FC12]a-chain, IL-6 and IL-10 genes are not risk factors for sepsis in low-birth-weight infants.

The amount of inflammatory cytokines is a major determinant for the development of sepsis in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) neonates. We investigated whether variants of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-4 receptor alpha-chain, IL-6 and IL-10 genes, associated with altered cytokine production, might influence the risk and complications of sepsis in VLBW infants. We determined the presence of these genetic variants in dried blood samples of 33 septic, 35 infected and 35 healthy VLBW neonates by PCR and RFLP methods and analyzed their association with the risk and complications of sepsis.

Interleukin genetic variants and the risk of renal failure in infants with infection.

Systemic infection is a major risk factor for the development of neonatal acute renal failure (ARF). We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10 genes leading to a more intense inflammatory response might predispose very low birth weight (VLBW) infants to the development of ARF in severe infection. The medical records of 92 VLBW newborns (birth weight under 1,500 g) with systemic infection were analyzed.