Gas chromatography--mass spectrometry (GC--MS) diagnosis of two cases of medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Two patients with hypoketotic hypoglycaemia and dicarboxylic aciduria are described. Studies of their urinary organic acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed an excretion of dicarboxylic acids (adipic suberic and sebacic acids), unsaturated dicarboxylic acids (cis-octenedioic and decenedioic acids),5-hydroxyhexanoic acid, hexanoyl-glycine and suberylglycine. Deficiency of the medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in fibroblasts was documented for both children. Despite a similar presentation (hypoglycaemic coma), organic acid profile (dicarboxylic aciduria and suberylglycine excretion) and enzyme deficiency (MCAD), they did not respond similarly to glucose infusion.