Does phenylketonuria require chromosome testing?

Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
Updated on November 06, 2024
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Phenylketonuria is usually screened during the neonatal period through routine blood testing, where the level of phenylalanine in the blood is measured to screen each newborn. This enables early diagnosis and treatment, hence reducing the occurrence of intellectual disabilities. Phenylketonuria can also be screened prenatally before the birth of the newborn. It is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, closely related to chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, prenatal screening can be conducted by amniocentesis between the 16th to 20th weeks of pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities detected through the amniocentesis indicate that the fetus carries the pathogenic gene, meaning the child will be born with phenylketonuria. If both parents carry related genes, it is crucial to undergo prenatal screening and chromosomal analysis to eliminate the risk of the fetus developing the condition.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Phenylketonuria treatment duration before discontinuation

Phenylketonuria is the first genetic metabolic disease that can be treated through dietary control. Once diagnosed with phenylketonuria, active treatment must be given, ceasing a natural diet and implementing a low-phenylalanine diet. Generally, a low-phenylalanine milk formula should be administered at least until the age of three. When the concentration of phenylalanine in the blood is adjusted to an ideal range, a small amount of natural diet can gradually be reintroduced. The reintroduced diet should still adhere to low-protein and low-phenylalanine standards.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Phenylketonuria Test Methods

The examination methods for phenylketonuria primarily include newborn screenings usually performed three to seven days after birth by drawing a blood sample from the heel and placing drops on specialized blood collection filter paper. Once dried, the sample is sent to a screening laboratory to determine the concentration of phenylalanine. If the phenylalanine concentration exceeds the cutoff value, further examinations and confirmatory tests are necessary, with the confirmatory test involving the measurement of phenylalanine concentration. Another method involves the analysis of urinary pterin profile, mainly used to differentiate dihydrobiopterin reductase deficiency. Additionally, gene analysis can be applied to detect mutations in genes such as phenylalanine hydroxylase, aiding in genetic diagnoses and prenatal diagnoses.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What is the normal value for phenylketonuria?

Phenylketonuria is a common autosomal recessive genetic disorder and the most common congenital amino acid metabolism disorder. It primarily manifests as intellectual disability, light skin and hair pigmentation, and a mousey urine odor. Newborn screening includes routine screening for phenylketonuria as it is a treatable hereditary metabolic disorder, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. Nowadays, newborn screening systems are widely implemented. Generally, this involves collecting a blood sample through a heel prick, dropping the blood on specialized filter paper, and then air drying before sending it to a screening laboratory to measure the phenylalanine concentration. Typically, a normal concentration should be less than 120 micromoles per liter. If the phenylalanine concentration exceeds 1200 micromoles per liter, it can be diagnosed as classical phenylketonuria.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
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Can phenylketonuria be detected before a newborn is born?

Phenylketonuria can be screened prenatally before the birth of a newborn. The procedure involves genetic screening using amniotic fluid drawn through amniocentesis between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy. Phenylketonuria is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease, greatly associated with chromosomal abnormalities. If chromosomal abnormalities are detected through amniocentesis, indicating the presence of pathogenic genes, it confirms that the fetus will be born with phenylketonuria. If both parents carry the relevant genes, prenatal screening is still necessary to rule out the risk of the disease in the fetus.

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Can people with phenylketonuria eat meat?

Children with phenylketonuria should not eat meat and should try to eat as little as possible. Phenylketonuria is caused by a defect in the phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme in the phenylalanine metabolic pathway, which results in a metabolic disorder of phenylalanine in the liver. Phenylketonuria is the first hereditary metabolic disease that can be treated by dietary control. All natural foods contain a certain amount of phenylalanine. Once diagnosed, children should stop consuming a natural diet and be given a low-phenylalanine diet for treatment. Meat is rich in protein and also contains a high amount of phenylalanine, thus the intake of meat must be restricted or minimized.