EFFECT OF BIOTIN TREATMENT ON METABOLIC ABNORMALITIES OCCURRING IN PATIENTS WITH STERNOCOSTOCLAVICULAR HYPEROSTOSIS

The implication of biotin depletion in metabolic abnormalities occurri ng in 30 patients with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis was studied, because the patients had low serum biotin levels. Levels of serum ami no acids and fatty acids, fasting blood glucose level, plasma ascorbic acid level, and urinary excretion of hydroxyproline were measured in the patients before and after their treatment with biotin, which was d one as 9 mg daily in three divided doses. Before the treatment,. the l evels of serum branched-chain amino acids, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline, and taurine were elevated in the patients. Fatty acids in the serum phospholipids from the patients contained hig her levels of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 but lower levels of 20:4n-6 and 20:5 n-3. Hyperglycemia and abnormal glucose tolerance were observed in the patients. Plasma ascorbic acid level tended to be low, while urinary excretion of hydroxyproline was high in the patients. The biotin treat ment corrected these abnormalities, resulting in clinical improvement. The results suggest that the metabolic abnormalities resulting from b iotin depletion may have an important role in the development of stern ocostoclavicular hyperostosis,