Calcium levulinate medication. A pitfall in the diagnosis of organic acidurias.

Five children, who received calcium levulinate (calcium 4-oxopentanoate) intravenously in pharmacological doses excreted in the following 24-h period both 4-oxopentanoic acid (3.5--11.0 mg/24 h) and 4-hydroxypentanoic acid (4.5--10.4 mg/24 h). Attention is drawn to the fact that in gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric systems these compounds closely resemble the two acids found in children with beta-ketothiolase deficiency.