Propionic acidaemia presenting with pancytopaenia in infancy.

A 2-month-old infant presented with vomiting, lethargy and pancytopaenia. She was found to have propionic acidaemia, and the activity of propionyl-CoA carboxylase in cultured fibroblasts was defective (McKusick 23200). Abnormal amounts of glycine, 3-hydroxypropionate, methylcitrate, tiglyglycine, propionylglycine, 2-methylacetoacetate, 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-oxovalerate and 3-hydroxyvalerate were found in body fluids.

Growth hormone studies in growth retardation. Therapeutic response to administration of androgen.

Growth hormone assays were performed before and after androgen administration in a 12-year-old boy with unexplained growth retardation. A subnormal growth hormone secretion in response to a standard hypoglycemic stimulus was demonstrated, and it was corrected by androgen pretreatment. After that, a normal serum growth hormone level and a temporary growth spurt were demonstrated.