Methylmalonic acidemia
Last updated 17 Jul 2023
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Methylmalonic acidemia is a group of inherited disorders that prevent the body from breaking down proteins and fats (lipids) properly. The effects of methylmalonic acidemia, which usually appear in early infancy, vary from mild to life-threatening. Affected infants can experience vomiting, dehydration, weak muscle tone (hypotonia), developmental delays, excessive tiredness (lethargy), an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), and failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive). Long-term complications can include feeding problems, intellectual disabilities, movement problems, chronic kidney disease, and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). People with methylmalonic acidemia can have frequent episodes of excess acid in the blood (metabolic acidosis) that cause serious health complications.Without treatment, this disorder can lead to coma and death in some cases.
Description
Methylmalonic acidemia is a group of inherited disorders that prevent the body from breaking down proteins and fats (lipids) properly. The effects of methylmalonic acidemia, which usually appear in early infancy, vary from mild to life-threatening. Affected infants can experience vomiting, dehydration, weak muscle tone (hypotonia), developmental delays, excessive tiredness (lethargy), an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), and failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive). Long-term complications can include feeding problems, intellectual disabilities, movement problems, chronic kidney disease, and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). People with methylmalonic acidemia can have frequent episodes of excess acid in the blood (metabolic acidosis) that cause serious health complications.Without treatment, this disorder can lead to coma and death in some cases.
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal recessive. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
Isolated methylmalonic acidemia
Methylmalonic aciduria
MMA
Further reading and references
- Methylmalonic acidemia; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Almasi T, Guey LT, Lukacs C, Csetneki K, Voko Z, Zelei T. Systematic literature review and meta-analysis on the epidemiology of methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) with a focus on MMA caused by methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (mut) deficiency. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2019 Apr 25;14(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s13023-019-1063-z.
- Chandler RJ, Venditti CP. Gene Therapy for Methylmalonic Acidemia: Past, Present, and Future. Hum Gene Ther. 2019 Oct;30(10):1236-1244. doi: 10.1089/hum.2019.113. Epub 2019 Aug 16.
- Forny P, Horster F, Ballhausen D, Chakrapani A, Chapman KA, Dionisi-Vici C, Dixon M, Grunert SC, Grunewald S, Haliloglu G, Hochuli M, Honzik T, Karall D, Martinelli D, Molema F, Sass JO, Scholl-Burgi S, Tal G, Williams M, Huemer M, Baumgartner MR. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of methylmalonic acidaemia and propionic acidaemia: First revision. J Inherit Metab Dis. 2021 May;44(3):566-592. doi: 10.1002/jimd.12370. Epub 2021 Mar 9.
- Fraser JL, Venditti CP. Methylmalonic and propionic acidemias: clinical management update. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 Dec;28(6):682-693. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000422.
- Haijes HA, Jans JJM, Tas SY, Verhoeven-Duif NM, van Hasselt PM. Pathophysiology of propionic and methylmalonic acidemias. Part 1: Complications. J Inherit Metab Dis. 2019 Sep;42(5):730-744. doi: 10.1002/jimd.12129. Epub 2019 Aug 7.
- Haijes HA, van Hasselt PM, Jans JJM, Verhoeven-Duif NM. Pathophysiology of propionic and methylmalonic acidemias. Part 2: Treatment strategies. J Inherit Metab Dis. 2019 Sep;42(5):745-761. doi: 10.1002/jimd.12128. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
- Horster F, Baumgartner MR, Viardot C, Suormala T, Burgard P, Fowler B, Hoffmann GF, Garbade SF, Kolker S, Baumgartner ER. Long-term outcome in methylmalonic acidurias is influenced by the underlying defect (mut0, mut-, cblA, cblB). Pediatr Res. 2007 Aug;62(2):225-30. doi: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e3180a0325f.
- Manoli I, Sloan JL, Venditti CP. Isolated Methylmalonic Acidemia. 2005 Aug 16 [updated 2022 Sep 8]. In: Adam MP, Bick S, Mirzaa GM, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews(R) [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2026. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1231/
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