II. Labs: Metabolic disorders tested on Newborn Screen
- See Newborn Screen
III. Pathophysiology
- All Metabolism (Glucose, Lipid and Protein)
- Path: Acetyl-CoA to Krebs Cycle
- Disrupted pathway results in build up of Ketones
-
Glucose Metabolism (Glycolysis)
- Path: Glycogen (and fructose, galactose) to Glucose to pyruvate to actetyl-CoA (and Krebs Cycle)
- Disrupted pathway results in build-up of Lactic Acid and Ketones
- Brain may use Ketones for fuel by 12-24 hours and Lactic Acid in chronic elevations
-
Lipid Metabolism
- Path: Fat to free Fatty Acids to acetyl CoA (via beta oxidation)
- Fatty Acid Metabolism abnormalities results in hypoketotic Hypoglycemia
-
Protein Metabolism
- Path: Protein to Amino Acids (with ammonia by product) to organic acids to pyruvate and acetyl CoA
- Aminoacidopathy
- Amino Acid deamination (removal of amine group) to keto-acid fails to occur
- Specific Amino Acids insidiously accumulate (e.g. phenyketonuria)
- Organic acidemia
- Amino Acid deamination to keto-acid occurs, but keto-acid metabolism fails to occur
- Accumulation of organic acids (keto-acids), as well as ammonia
- Presents with severe Metabolic Acidosis with Anion Gap in an ill appearing child
- Urea Cycle (nitrogen processing from Protein Metabolism)
- Path: Protein Metabolism to ammonia to urea cycle
- Disrupted pathway leads to build-up of ammonia without acidosis
- Hyperammonia (from urea cycle disorders) is a significant Neurotoxin and must be managed emergently
- Energy production
- Path: Krebs Cycle to NADH to ATP (via electron transport)
- Disrupted pathway leads to build-up of lactate (driven by excess NADH)
IV. Classification
- Inborn Errors of Small Molecule Metabolism
- Example: Galactosemia
-
Lysosomal Storage Diseases
- Example: Gaucher's Disease
-
Disorders of Energy Metabolism
- Oxidation defects
- Disorders of Fatty Acid mobilization and metabolism
- Medium-chain-acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
-
Glycogen Storage Diseases
- Type 1: von Gierke's Disease
- Type 2: Pompe's Disease
- Type 3: Forbes Disease
- Type 4: Andersen's Disease
- Type 5: McArdle's Disease
- Type 6: Hers Disease
- Type 7: Tarui's Disease
- Other more rare classes of metabolism error
- Paroxysmal disorders
- Transport disorders
- Defects in Purine and Pyrimidine metabolism
- Receptor Defects
V. Symptoms: Presentations of Inborn Errors of Metabolism
- Cardiopulmonary changes
- Exercise intolerance
- Familal vascular disease
- Tachycardia
- Abnormal breathing
- Gastrointestinal changes
- Diarrhea
- Poor feeding
- Recurrent Emesis
- Pancreatitis
- Neurologic changes
- Somnolence or irribility
- Increased Muscle tone or hypotonia
- Muscle cramping or spasticity
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Upward Gaze Paralysis
- Seizures
- Temperature dysregulation
VI. Signs: Presentations of Inborn Errors of Metabolism
- Cardiopulmonary changes
- Endocrine
- Refractory Hypoglycemia
- Neurologic changes
- Cerebrovascular Accident or stroke-like events
- Encephalopathy
- Altered Level of Consciousness (lethargy to coma)
- Cerebral calcifications
- Agenesis of corpus callosum
- Macrocephaly
- Seizures (esp. Status Epilepticus)
- Eye changes
- Lenticular Cataracts
- Corneal Opacity
- Cherry red Macule
- Lens discoloration
- Optic atrophy
- Skin changes
- Angiokeratoma
- Non-specific dermatitis or hair changes
- Ichthyosis
- Inverted nipples
- Xanthomas
- Musculoskeletal changes
- Arthrosis
- Dystosis multiplex
- Osteoporosis
- Renal Changes
- Gastrointestinal Changes
- Dysmorphic Features (Lysosomal Storage Disorders)
- Hunter Syndrome
- Hurler Syndrome
- Body odor
- Musty odor
- Hereditary Tyrosinemia
- Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Tom cat's urine
- 3-Methylcrotonyl CoA Carboxylase Deficiency
- Sweaty feet
- Isovaleric Acidemia
- Burnt Sugar
- Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
- Musty odor
VII. Causes: Inborn Errors of Metabolism with Presentations in the pregnant mother
-
Ornithine transcarbamylase
- Hyperammonemia
- Coma
- Psychiatric findings
- Long-chain hydroxyacyl dehydrogenase deficiency
- Acute Fatty Liver
- Hyperemesis
- HELLP Syndrome
VIII. Causes: Inborn Errors of Metabolism with Presentations in Adolescents and Adults
- Hemochromatosis (1:200 to 1:400 caucasian)
- Gaucher Disease Type I (1:855 Ashkenazi Jewish)
- X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (<1:20,000)
- Spastic Paraparesis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Dementia and Psychosis (males)
- Adrenal Insufficiency (males)
-
Wilson Disease (1:30,000)
- Kaiser-Fleischer rings (Corneal green ring)
- Hyperpigmentation
- Cirrhosis
- Tremor
- Dysarthria
- Dementia
-
Fabry Disease (<1:50,000, less severe, and later presentation in Heterozygous females)
- Acroparesthesia
- Angiokeratoma
- Heart Disease
- Renal Disease
- Ornithase Transcarbamylase Deficiency (1:70,000, lethal in newborn males, presents in teen females)
- Abdominal Pain
- Headache
- Dietary Protein avoidance
- Homocystinuria (1:200,000)
- Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase II Deficiency
- GM2 Gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs, Sandhoff Disease, rare)
- Motor Neuron disorder
- Dystonia
- Cerebellar degeneration
- Bipolar Disorder
- Porphyria (rare)
- Seizures
- Chest Pain
- Photosensitivity
- Extremity pain
- References
IX. Labs
- See Newborn Screening
- Initial presentation
- Bedside Glucose (Hypoglycemia)
- Glycogen Storage Disease
- Hypoglycemia after 4-6 hours of Fasting
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Hypoglycemia after 8-12 hours of Fasting
- Hypoglycemia is is often due to non-metabolic disorders (e.g. poor feeding without disorder)
- Glycogen Storage Disease
- Complete Blood Count with Peripheral Smear
- Basic Chemistry Panel (Electrolytes, Serum Creatinine)
- Organic Acidemia (Metabolic Acidosis with Anion Gap)
- Liver Function Tests (ALT, AST)
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Mitochondrial Disorders
- Tyrosinemia Type I
- Hereditary Fructose Intolerance
- Creatine Kinase (Cardiomyopathy)
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Organic Acidemia
- Mitochondrial Disorders
- Glycogen Storage Disorders
- Serum Ammonia (normal <50 umol/L, significant if levels >200 umol/L; associated with encephalopathy)
- Urea Cycle Disorders
- Organic Acidemia
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Serum lactate
- Sepsis
- Mitochondrial Disorders
- Pyruvate Dehydrogenase
- Carboxylase Deficiency
- Organic Acidemia
- Glycogen Storage Disease
- Serum Ketones
- More than trace Ketones is suggestive of a metabolic disorder
- Uric Acid
- Poor Test Sensitivity and Test Specificity, but when positive in newborns, is suggestive of metabolic disease
- Venous Blood Gas
- Metabolic Acidosis with Anion Gap (Ketosis, Lactic Acidosis) is typical for most congenital metabolic disorders
- Organic Acidemia
- Urea Cycle Disorders (increased pH)
- Hyperammonemia induces Hyperventilation beyond acidosis compensation (Respiratory Alkalosis)
- Urinalysis
- Urine Ketones in organic acidemia, Fatty Acid oxidation disorder
- Expect Urine pH <5 in Metabolic Acidosis with appropriate renal compensation
- Consider Renal Tubular Acidosis if Urine pH >5
- Bedside Glucose (Hypoglycemia)
- Diagnosis (typically as directed by metabolic specialist)
- Plasma carnitine
- Acylcarnitine profile (esterified carbon chains to carnitine)
- Organic Acidemia
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorder
- Quantitative Amino Acid Profile (increased levels)
- Maple Syrup Urine Disease
- Phenylketonuria
- Tyrosinemia Type I
- Urea Cycle Disorders
- Organic Acidemia (increased Glycine)
- Biotinidase
- Urine organic and Amino Acids
- Amino Acid Disorder
- Organic Acidemia
- Urine Acylglycines
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorder
- Organic Acidemia
X. Imaging: Second Trimester Prenatal Ultrasound Findings
-
Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR)
- Cholesterol synthesis disorders
- Organic Acidemia
- Amino Acid Disorders
- Glycosylation Disorders
- Brain Abnormalities
- Peroxisomal Disorders
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Organic Acidemia
- Amino Acid Disorders
-
Hydrops fetalis (Ascites, Pleural Effusions, Pericardial Effusions, extremity edema)
- Lysosomal Storage Disease
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV
- Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation
- Renal Abnormality
- Peroxisomal Disorders
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Hyperechogenic colon
- Organic Acidemia
- Amino Acid Disorders
- Polyhydramnios
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV
- Liver Steatosis
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
-
Left Ventricular Noncompaction
- Organic Acidemia
- References
XI. Differential Diagnosis: Neonatal Metabolic Emergency
- See Crashing Newborn
XII. Management: Immediate management priorities
- ABC Management
- Rehydration with Normal Saline in small boluses (10 cc/kg)
- Discontinue feeds
- Avoid Carbohydrates and Amino Acids until disorder is identified
- Correct Hypoglycemia and maintain caloric support
- Emergent dextrose replacement for Hypoglycemia
- See Neonatal Hypoglycemia
- See Rule of 50
- Administer 8-10 mg/kg/min of D10W via peripheral IV
- Maintain normoglycemia
- Goal Blood Glucose 100 to 120 mg/dl
- Glucose bypasses most disordered metabolic pathways
- D10 at 1.5x the calculated maintenance rate for weight
- Consider mitochondrial disorder If Lactic Acid increases on infusion
- Decrease to D5 infusion or consider Insulin
- Emergent dextrose replacement for Hypoglycemia
- Correct excess ammonia emergently (significant if ammonia levels >200 umol/L, and very severe at >300 umol/L)
-
Metabolic Acidosis
- Manage with hydration and supportive measures
- Bicarbonate is NOT first-line, but may be considered in shock or cardiac dysfunction
- Review Newborn Screen if available
- Newborn Screens do not have perfect Test Sensitivity or Test Specificity
- Newborn Screen does not identify Glycogen Storage Diseases or mitochondrial disorders
-
Consultation
- Metabolic Physician (tertiary center)
- State Newborn Screening lab
XIII. Resources
- Low (1996) Inborn Errors of Metabolism
- Vademecum Metabolicum: Diagnosis and Treatment of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (EVM)
XIV. References
- Mason and Woods in Herbert (2019) EM:Rap 19(7):10-12
- Homme (2016) Inborn Errors of Metabolism, ACEP PEM Conference, Orlando, attended 3/9/2016
- Kruszka (2019) Am Fam Physician 99(1): 25-32 [PubMed]
- Raghuveer (2006) Am Fam Physician 73(11):1981-90 [PubMed]