W. Ruitenbeek et al., RHABDOMYOLYSIS ACID ACUTE ENCEPHALOPATHY IN LATE-ONSET MEDIUM-CHAIN ACYL-COA DEHYDROGENASE-DEFICIENCY, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 58(2), 1995, pp. 209-214
A previously asymptomatic 30 year old man presented with rhabdomyolysi
s, muscle weakness, and acute encephalopathy after strenuous exertion
in the cold without adequate food intake. Serum and muscle carnitine c
oncentrations were decreased. Urinary excretion of carnitine and glyci
ne esters and biochemical examination of skeletal muscle and fibroblas
ts led to the diagnosis of medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD)
deficiency. A point mutation at nucleotide position 985 of the coding
region of the MCAD gene was found. The MCAD protein was synthesised in
the patient's fibroblasts at a normal rate, but was unstable. In gene
ral, patients in whom the 985 point mutation has been established show
much more severe clinical symptoms and other symptoms than those seen
in this patient. The relation of the 985 point mutation and the resid
ual MCAD activity to the symptoms is not as straightforward as previou
sly thought.