Mucopolysaccharidosis type II: identification of 30 novel mutations among Latin American patients.

In this study, 103 unrelated South-American patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) were investigated aiming at the identification of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) disease causing mutations and the possibility of some insights on the genotype-phenotype correlation The strategy used for genotyping involved the identification of the previously reported inversion/disruption of the IDS gene by PCR and screening for other mutations by PCR/SSCP. The exons with altered mobility on SSCP were sequenced, as well as all the exons of patients with no SSCP alteration. By using this strategy, we were able to find the pathogenic mutation in all patients.

Newborn screening for medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in England: prevalence, predictive value and test validity based on 1.5 million screened babies.

Background: Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) is a rare, life-threatening condition. Early diagnosis by screening asymptomatic newborns may improve outcome, but the benefit to newborns identified with variants not encountered clinically is uncertain.

Objective: To estimate, overall and by ethnic group: screen-positive prevalence and predictive value (PPV); MCADD prevalence; proportion MCADD variants detected of predicted definite or uncertain clinical importance.

Relationship of octanoylcarnitine concentrations to age at sampling in unaffected newborns screened for medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Background: Although octanoylcarnitine (C8) concentrations measured from newborn screening dried blood spots are used to identify those at high risk of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD), age-related reference values are currently not available for unaffected newborn populations. Because age at sampling may vary within and between screening programs, variations in C8 concentrations by age may affect screening program performance. We determined whether C8 concentrations vary by age at sampling, sex, birth weight, or gestational age in unaffected newborns.

Identification of novel mutations in the SLC25A15 gene in hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome: a clinical, molecular, and functional study.

Hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder of the urea cycle. With the exception of the French-Canadian founder effect, no common mutation has been detected in other populations. In this study, we collected 16 additional HHH cases and expanded the spectrum of SLC25A15/ORC1 mutations.

Bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid analysis in cord blood samples: efficacy and reference data from a large cohort study.

Background: In order to test the feasibility of cord blood screening for inherited metabolic disease, a two-year cohort study of births in six obstetric units from five towns in the north of England was undertaken. These towns have a high prevalence of consanguineous marriages, largely among the immigrant Asian community. The purpose of the study was to determine whether early detection of metabolic disease was possible and whether early intervention would improve prognosis.