Erschienen in:
06.06.2018 | Letter to the editors
The phenotype of adult versus pediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism
verfasst von:
Jean-Marie Saudubray, Fanny Mochel
Erschienen in:
Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
|
Ausgabe 5/2018
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Abstract
Until recently, inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) were considered a pediatric specialty, as emphasized by the term “inborn,” and the concept of adult onset IEM has only very recently reached the adult medical community. Still, an increasing number of adult onset IEM have now been recognized, as new metabolomics and molecular diagnostic techniques have become available. Here, we discuss possible mechanisms underlying phenotypic variability in adult versus children with IEM. Specifically, phenotypic severity and age of onset are expected to be modulated by differences in residual protein activity possibly driven by various genetic factors. Phenotypic variability may also occur in the context of similar protein expression, which suggests the intervention of environmental, ontogenic, and aging factors.