Fasting hypoglycemia resulting from hepatic carnitine palmitoyl transferase deficiency

Pierre F. Bougnères, Jean M. Saudubray, Cécile Marsac, Olivier Bernard, Michel Odièvre, Jean Girard

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    Abstract

    Two sisters developed severe hypoglycemia at 8 months of age, resulting in death in one of them. Metabolic studies of the second revealed decline of blood glucose concentration and low plasma ketone body values during a 20-hour fast, both reversed by administration of medium-chain triglycerides. Carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity was absent in the liver extract of the patient; lack of this enzyme impairs long-chain fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis. Failure of gluconeogenesis could result from decreased production of acetyl-CoA and NADH.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)742-746
    Number of pages5
    JournalJournal of Pediatrics
    Volume98
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 1981

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