Clinical Description
The clinical spectrum of classic isovaleric acidemia (IVA) is broad and differs according to age of onset and severity of disease. Classic IVA is characterized by early onset of acute metabolic decompensations (vomiting, poor feeding, lethargy, hypotonia, seizures, and a distinct odor of sweaty feet), epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability and/or impaired cognition, and movement disorder. Individuals with classic IVA (not identified on newborn screening) may have delayed diagnosis if acute metabolic decompensations occur later in childhood and/or they have nonspecific poor weight gain, growth deficiency, and developmental delay.
Table 3.
Select Features of Classic Isovaleric Acidemia
View in own window
Feature | % of Persons w/Feature |
---|
Identified by NBS 1 | Not identified by NBS |
---|
Early onset w/prompt diagnosis | Delayed diagnosis (missed diagnosis or later onset) |
---|
Acute metabolic decompensations | 70% 2 | 90%-100% 3 | 80% 4 |
Seizures | 15% 1 | Prevalent 5 | Prevalent 5 |
Speech/language delay | 15%-20% 1, 6 | 25% 4 | Prevalent 5 |
Gross/fine motor delay | 5%-16% 1, 6 | Prevalent 4, 5 | Prevalent 5 |
Intellectual disability / impaired cognition | 10% 1 | 15%-18% 4 | 55%-56% 4 |
Muscular hypotonia | 5% 1 | Prevalent 4, 5 | Prevalent 5 |
Movement disorder | 15% 1 | Prevalent 4, 5 | Prevalent 5 |
Infantile mortality | 0% 1 | 33% 4 | 3% 4, 7 |
- 1.
- 2.
In those with classic IVA identified on newborn screening, 50% of decompensations occur in the neonatal period [Mütze et al 2021].
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
This frequency is quite likely to be underestimated, as a relevant number of infants and children might have died without correct diagnosis.
Acute metabolic decompensations in individuals with classic IVA can occur either early in the neonatal period or later in life. These life-threatening episodes are typically triggered by fasting, (febrile) illness (especially gastroenteritis [Grünert et al 2012]), or increased protein intake. During metabolic decompensation, individuals may exhibit various manifestations reflecting metabolic derangement (partially compensated metabolic acidosis, elevated lactate, ketosis, hyperammonemia), including vomiting, poor feeding, lethargy, hypotonia, seizures, and a distinct odor of sweaty feet [Dionisi-Vici et al 2006].
Diagnosis through newborn screening (NBS) and early treatment can reduce the incidence of metabolic decompensations in individuals with classic IVA, although neonates can present with metabolic decompensation before NBS results are available (see ) [
Mütze et al 2021]. Recurrent decompensations are less frequent in individuals identified through NBS compared to those diagnosed based on symptoms alone, and the frequency of decompensations tends to decrease with age, with no instances reported after early adolescence [
Grünert et al 2012,
Mütze et al 2021].
Individuals with
classic IVA not identified by NBS usually develop the first manifestations of acute metabolic decompensation after a short symptom-free period after birth. Clinical deterioration often occurs within hours to days after birth with feeding refusal, recurrent vomiting, progressive weight loss, generalized hypotonia, abnormal posturing, and abnormal movements, and a distinctive odor of sweaty feet can be present. Laboratory abnormalities include severe metabolic acidosis with elevated anion gap, elevated lactate, ketosis, and hyperammonemia [
Dionisi-Vici et al 2006,
Kölker et al 2015a,
Kölker et al 2015b]. Subsequently, individuals may exhibit lethargy, seizures, and coma, leading to death within a few days or resulting in severe neurologic damage if diagnosis of classic IVA is not identified and/or treatment is not started.
Metabolic decompensations can occur any time throughout childhood in individuals with classic IVA (regardless of age of diagnosis). Metabolic decompensations did not occur after early adolescence in 21 children with classic IVA [
Grünert et al 2012]. However, some individuals have had acute metabolic decompensations in adulthood [
Schlune et al 2018,
Tuncel et al 2018].
Age at first metabolic decompensation Kaplan-Meier analysis of age at onset of first metabolic decompensation. Individuals with attenuated IVA (red; n = 67) experienced no metabolic decompensations (see Genetically Related Disorders), whereas the majority (more...)
Seizures have been reported in individuals with classic IVA detected through NBS [Mütze et al 2021] and those diagnosed later [Kölker et al 2015b]. However, data on the proportion of individuals affected, age of onset, seizure types, seizure frequency, and EEG findings are limited. One child, age five months, was described with infantile spasms and hypsarrhythmia observed on EEG during a metabolic decompensation [Sezer & Balci 2016].
Developmental delay. Delays in gross and fine motor development and speech and language have been reported in individuals with classic IVA detected through NBS, particularly those with neonatal metabolic decompensation despite early diagnosis by NBS [Mütze et al 2021]. However, in individuals with classic IVA diagnosed after the onset of symptoms, developmental disorders affecting motor and cognitive functions are more prevalent, particularly in those with a late diagnosis (>50% had developmental delay) [Grünert et al 2012]. Delayed motor development is often accompanied by muscular hypotonia and movement disorders.
Intellectual disability / impaired cognition. In one cohort, individuals with classic IVA identified on NBS had lower IQ levels than the general population (mean IQ: 91±10), and IQ levels were even lower in those who had experienced severe neonatal metabolic decompensation [Mütze et al 2021]. In another cohort of 16 affected individuals with classic IVA, cognitive function was within the normal range for those identified through NBS and clinically diagnosed individuals [Couce et al 2017].
Among individuals with a later diagnosis, approximately 60% were reported to have normal neurocognitive outcomes. Learning disabilities were observed in approximately one quarter of affected individuals. Severe cognitive dysfunction was reported in 5% of individuals.
Early diagnosis and treatment in those who survive the initial metabolic decompensation tends to result in better neurocognitive outcomes [Grünert et al 2012]. A multicenter study showed that early diagnosis and treatment significantly impact the clinical and neurocognitive outcomes of individuals with classic IVA [Heringer et al 2016].
Movement disorder (tremor, dysmetria, extrapyramidal movements). The onset of a movement disorder usually occurs early in the disease course, particularly in infants and children with recurrent acute metabolic decompensations prior to diagnosis and the start of treatment. Depending on the extent of brain damage, the severity of the movement disorder can vary; however, it is mostly mild to moderate. Since the movement disorder is the neurologic sequelae of preceding brain damage, the movement disorder is stable unless brain damage is aggravated through recurrent severe metabolic decompensations.
Behavioral problems. No behavioral abnormalities have been reported in cohorts of individuals with classic IVA identified through NBS [Heringer et al 2016, Schlune et al 2018, Mütze et al 2021]. Although data is limited, behavioral problems such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have been reported in individuals with classic IVA not identified on NBS [Hertecant et al 2012]. These issues may arise during episodes of metabolic derangement or due to the impact on the central nervous system.
Hematologic manifestations have not been reported in individuals with classic IVA detected through NBS [Vockley & Ensenauer 2006, Schlune et al 2018, Mütze et al 2021], unlike in other forms of organic acidemias, particularly methymalonic acidemia and propionic acidemia. Pancytopenia as well as isolated neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or anemia can occur as a result of bone marrow suppression during acute metabolic decompensations. However, these hematologic abnormalities have not been consistently reported in cohorts in the literature [Vockley & Ensenauer 2006, Kölker et al 2015b].
Pancreatitis has not been reported in individuals with classic IVA detected through NBS [Kölker et al 2015a, Kölker et al 2015b, Couce et al 2017, Schlune et al 2018, Mütze et al 2021]. Pancreatitis has been reported in some individuals with late-onset IVA and in some with early onset but delayed diagnosis and may complicate the disease course [Dionisi-Vici et al 2006, Kölker et al 2015a, Kölker et al 2015b, Schlune et al 2018].
Growth. Information regarding growth in individuals with classic IVA is limited; growth deficiency has not been consistently reported and may vary among affected individuals. Feeding problems and gastrointestinal manifestations (e.g., vomiting) do not appear to cause growth deficiency in individuals with classic IVA [Kölker et al 2015b], but long-term protein restriction might negatively impact growth [Mütze et al 2023a].
Other features
Prognosis. Early treatment in those identified by NBS can significantly reduce mortality in individuals with classic IVA [Mütze et al 2021]. Although there is limited data on older individuals with classic IVA detected through NBS, there is no apparent disease progression or evidence of multisystem organ dysfunction, which is frequently observed in individuals with other organic acidemias such as propionic acidemia and methylmalonic acidemia, suggesting a more favorable prognosis in individuals with classic IVA [Tuncel et al 2018].
Untreated individuals with classic IVA can develop metabolic decompensation resulting in cerebral edema and hemorrhage, coma, and death [Vockley & Ensenauer 2006]. Mortality is high in neonates during initial metabolic decompensation (about 30%). However, infants who survive benefit from prompt initiation of treatment, resulting in better neurocognitive outcomes compared to individuals with delayed diagnosis and treatment [Grünert et al 2012].
Metabolic decompensations rarely occur in individuals with classic IVA after adolescence, with only a few reports of metabolic decompensation in adulthood [Grünert et al 2012, Tuncel et al 2018].
Classic IVA with delayed diagnosis. Before the implementation of tandem mass spectrometry-based NBS that included the diagnosis of IVA, individuals with classic IVA were diagnosed at a median age of four years, most often following an acute metabolic crisis or in an individual with unexplained developmental delay [Grünert et al 2012]. However, the majority of these individuals had preceding acute metabolic crises as neonates. Similarly, early literature originally suggested two forms of IVA, a neonatal group presenting with acute life-threatening encephalopathy and a second group presenting in childhood with nonspecific poor feeding with selective refusal of protein-rich foods, recurrent vomiting, poor weight gain, growth deficiency, intermittent ataxia, abnormal behavior, and/or neurodevelopmental delay [Tanaka 1990]. Individuals who survived the first neonatal episode, however, were indistinguishable from those presenting in childhood, suggesting that there is a continuous phenotypic disease spectrum [Vockley & Ensenauer 2006], and delayed diagnosis may be due to missed diagnosis or later onset.