INBORN ERRORS OF METABOLISM
Screening for IEM
- IOC / Gold standard: Tandem Mass Spectrometry:
- Blood spot
- Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry:
- Fresh Urine
- High Performance Liquid chromatography/Electrophoresis:
- Plasma, urine
Disorders of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glycogen Storage Disorders (GSD)
GSD Type | Key Features | Investigations |
Type Ia Glucose-6-phosphatase | Von Gierke's disease (Type Ia) • Protruding abdomen • severe fasting hypoglycemia • ketosis • prominent buccal fat • thin extremities • convulsions/coma on fasting • massive hepatomegaly • enlarged kidneys • growth retardation | • S. Glucose ↓ • Rothera's test: Positive • S. Uric acid ↑↑ • S. Lactate ↑↑ (lactic acidosis) • Hyperlipidemia • Hypertriglyceridemia • Fatty liver • AST & ALT: Normal Liver biopsy: • Normal glycogen accumulation |
Type Ib Glu-6-PO₄ transporter (SER) | • Similar to Type Ia + neutropenia | ㅤ |
Type III Debranching enzyme (α-1,6-glucosidase and 4-α-D-glucanotransferase) | Cori/Forbes disease (Limit Dextrinosis) • Like Von Gierke but milder • Early morning hypoglycemia • not fatal • hepatomegaly • muscle weakness (IIIa) • cardiomyopathy (IIIa) • (Coriii - threee) | • S. Glucose ↓ • Rothera's test: Negative • S. Uric acid: Normal • S. Lactate: Normal • AST & ALT: ↑ Liver biopsy: • Limit dextrin accumulation |
Type IV Branching enzyme | Andersen’s disease (Amylopectinoses) • Fasting hypoglycemia • portal hypertension • hepatosplenomegaly • progressive liver cirrhosis • fatal ↳ (death within 5 yrs due to liver failure) • hypotonia | • S. Glucose ↓ • Rothera's test: Negative • S. Uric acid: Normal • S. Lactate: Normal • AST & ALT: ↑↑ Liver biopsy: • Amylopectin accumulation Genetic testing • GBE1 gene ↳ (Branching Enzyme 1 gene) |
Type VI Hepatic glycogen phosphorylase | Hers’ disease • Mild hypoglycemia • hepatomegaly • growth retardation • hyperlipidemia | • Normal lactate/uric acid Genetic testing • PYGL gene • Hers → PY Girl (PYGL) |
GSD Type | Key Features | Investigations |
Type II Lysosomal Acid α-1,4-glucosidase / Acid maltase | Pompe disease • With Hypertrophic HCM • Floppy infant • generalized hypotonia • fatal ↳ death within 2 yrs ↳ due to cardiac failure • enlarged tongue • enlarged liver • A glucose (α glucosidase) pump and acid (acid maltase) | Chest X-ray: • Massive cardiomegaly • Elevated CK • glycogen in lysosomes • no hypoglycemia/ lactic acidosis • enzyme analysis ↳ from cultured fibroblasts |
Type V Muscle glycogen phosphorylase (myophosphorylase) | McArdle disease (most common) • Adolescent male • Calf muscle pain on exercise • Exercise intolerance ———————————————— • No hemolysis • Second wind phenomenon • LDH levels are normal. • (Mc Adle - Muscle in Adoloscent) | • Glucose ↓ (during exercise) • S. Lactate ↓ • AST & ALT: Normal • Creatine kinase ↑↑ • Burgundy coloured urine ↳ myoglobinuria Genetic testing • (PYGM gene) (”GYM”) |
Type VII Muscle + erythrocyte PFK 1 | Tarui’s disease • Like McArdle • Exercise intolerance • muscle cramps ———————————————— Difference • Myoglobinuria • No 2nd wind phenomenon • Hemolysis • LDH levels are high. • Fructose (PFK) thinnapo Blood (hemolysis) tuuri (Tauris) | • S. Glucose ↓ (during exercise) • S. Lactate ↓ • Creatine kinase ↑ • elevated CK/bilirubin Genetic testing • PFKM gene |
Galactosemia
Feature | Classical Galactosemia | Hereditary Fructose Intolerance (HFI) |
Enzyme Defect | Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase | Aldolase B |
Age of Onset | 1st week of life (Immediately in neonates) | Around 6 months (While Weaning) |
Trigger | Breastfeeding | Fruits |
Specific Test | Mucic acid test: Positive | Rapid Fural / Seliwanoff's Test: Positive |
Cataracts | Present due to galactitol | NO CATARACT |
Symptoms | • Intellectual disability, cataracts • jaundice, hepatomegaly, failure to thrive | • Hypoglycemia, no cataracts • vomiting, jaundice, hepatomegaly, |
Accumulated Compound | Galactose-1-P, galactitol | Fructose-1-P |
Glucose Oxidase Test | Negative | Negative |
Urine Benedict's Test | Positive | Positive |
Treatment | Lactose-free diet (galactose & lactose restriction) | Fructose-free diet |
Intolerences and ages
- Immediately in neonates
- Galactosemia
- Lactose intolerence
- While Weaning
- Fuctose intolerence
- In young children
- Celiac disease

Type | Enzyme Deficient | Key Features |
Classical | GalPUT | • Positive Benedict's test • Bilateral congenital cataracts (Oil drop cataract) • Low phosphate levels • Fasting Hypoglycemia • Exercise intolerance • Jaundice, Hepatomegaly • Uric acid + lactic acidosis • E. coli sepsis. • Premature ovarian failure • Breast milk absolutely Contraindicated |
Non-Classical | Galactokinase | • Positive Benedict's test • Bilateral congenital cataracts (Oil drop cataract) • NO HEPATOMEGALY |
Epimerase | Epimerase | Variable symptoms |
- Mnemonic: Galact (GALT) Galact (Galactokinase) Appi (Epimerase)
Meconium ileus
Causes
- Prematurity
- Hypothyroidism
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Present with other features of CF
- Soap bubble appearance
- NO AIR FLUID LEVEL (dry thick impacted meconium)
- Bishop Koop surgery
- Stippled calcification d/t inspissated stools
- Hirschsprung disease
- present within 48hrs,
- abdominal distension and bilious vomiting
- On per rectal examination
- On removal of finger
- Sudden expulsion of meconium d/t transient dilatation
- Anorectal malformation
- Lazy Left colon syndrome
- Infant of Diabetic mother
- d/t ↓ gut motility → delayed passing of meconium
Disorders of Amino Acid Metabolism
Phenylketonuria (PKU)






White guy → Fair skin
- Cause:
- Deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase
- Tyrosine becomes essential
- Clinical:
- Hypopigmentation (fair skin (Blond), blue eyes)
- D/t ↓↓ Tyrosine
- Intellectual disability
- by competing at BBB with other Neutral amino acids
- Seizures
- Mousy odor
- ↑↑ Phenyl acetate
- Ass smells
- Persistence of neurological symptoms
- after phenylalanine restriction → Non-classic PKU

- Lab
- IOC: TMS
- Positive Ferric chloride test
- d/t Phenylpyruvate
- Payaril () Iron (FeCl3) und
- put Iron (FeCl3) in Fire (Pyruvate)
- Guthrie’s test (Bacterial inhibition test) :
- Growth of Bacillus subtilis.
- Blood phenyl alanine levels
- Enzyme studies.

- Treatment:
- Phenylalanine restricted diet
- Synthetic tetrahydrobiopterin (THB)
- in Non-classic PKU
- Drug: Sapropterin dihydrochloride (Kuvan)
- Large neutral amino acids supplementation
- Tryptophan
- Tyrosine
Homocystinuria
ㅤ | Type 1 → Classical | Type 2 → Non Classical |
Enzyme deficiency | Cystathionine Beta synthase Homocysteine + Serine → Cystathionine → Cysteine | Methionine synthase Homocysteine → Methionine |
Homocysteine | ↑↑ | ↑↑ |
Cysteine | ↓↓ | N |
Methionine | N | ↓↓ |
Treatment | • Responds to B6 • Cysteine supplementation | • Responds to B12 and folate • Methionine supplementation |
- A disorder characterized by:
- Fair complexion
- Accelerated atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
- Skeletal deformities
- flat foot
- Charlie Chaplin gait
- Marfanoid habitus
- Chest wall deformities
- Subluxation of eyes
- Inferomedial ectopia lentis
- Stroke episodes
- Hypercoagulable state
- Differentiate from Marfans by
- Fair complexion
- Inferomedial ectopia lentis
- Treatment:
- Pyridoxine, folic acid
- Restrict methionine
- Supplement cysteine
- Mnemonic: Pyramid (Pyridoxine supplementaion) nte mukalil keri thazhott (Inferomedial ectopia lentis) nokkum
- Mnemonic: Homocysteine → 6
- 6 x 1 (Type 1) = 6 (B6)
- 6 x 2 (Type 2) = 12 (B12)
Cause | Subluxation | ㅤ |
Blunt trauma | • M/c cause | ㅤ |
Marfan’s syndrome | • Superotemporal | FAN → Upper |
Homocystinuria | • Inferonasal | URINE → Infero |
Weill-Marchesani syndrome | • Anterior • Microspherophakia | March forward → Anterior |
Multiple Carboxylase Deficiency
- Cofactor: Biotin
- Features:
- Global developmental delay
- intellectual disability
- Skin and hair
- D/t biotin
- Alopecia
- dermatitis
- Tom cat urine odour
- Treatment:
- Biotin
Biotin (B7) Coenzyme for | Reaction | Name |
Pyruvate carboxylase | Pyruvate → Oxaloacetate | • Gluconeogenesis |
Acetyl CoA carboxylase | Acetyl CoA → Malonyl CoA | • Fatty acid synthesis |
Propionyl CoA carboxylase | Propionyl CoA → Methyl Malonyl CoA | • Fatty acid oxidation • Branched-chain AA breakdown |
- Mnemonic for biotin:
- ABC PAPify
- ABC - ATP, BIOTIN, CO2 FOR CARBOXYLATION
- When depressed (depression) due to alopecia (), dermatitis () and rash → exercise cause fatigue and eat egg (avidin in egg white inhibits B7)
- Bought a cat → Tom cat → Peed everywhere → Tom cat urine odour () in multiple carboxylase enzyme deficiency ()
Hartnup Disease
- Hari - SSLC (SLC) kku padichapo "Ente monne pee-chi blue aayi!
- Doctor paranju Hartnup aanennu! Tryptophan escape aakunnu apparently!"
- Mutation
- SLC6A19 mutation (Chr.5)
- Transporter is in enterocytes and PCT cells.
- Defect:
- defective Neutral AA transporter
- defective tryptophan transporter
↓
↓ Tryptophan absorption from the intestine and reabsorption in the kidney
↓
↓ Tryptophan
↓ Serotonin
↓ Niacin = Niacin deficiency = Pellagra like rash
indoxyl compounds in intestine
↓
Blue diaper syndrome - Due to indican (indoxyl sulfate) in urine
↓
Obermeyer test (indoxyl in urine)
↓
Blue diaper syndrome - Due to indican (indoxyl sulfate) in urine
↓
Obermeyer test (indoxyl in urine)
- ↓ Tryptophan → ↓ Serotonin & ↓ Niacin
- (60 mg tryptophan → 1 mg niacin)
- Clinical Features
- Asymptomatic (mostly)
- Cutaneous photosensitivity (m/c symptom)
- Accumulation of tryptophan in intestine → bacterial decomposition → indoxyl compounds → Indoles absorbed → excreted in urine as → bluish discoloration of diaper
- Ataxia
- Wide-based gait
- Test
- Obermeyer test
- indoxyl in urine
- Diagnosis:
- HPLC
- Neutral aminoaciduria
- Treatment
- Niacin, high protein diet
- Lipid soluble tryptophan esters
Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
- Enzyme deficient: Branched chain Alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase
- Autosomal recessive
- Boxing, cyclic movements and seizures in new-born
- Amino Acids: Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine
- Urine odor:
- Maple syrup or Burnt sugar
- Diagnostic tests are employed:
- FeCl3 test +ve
- DNPH test +ve
- Ketone bodies in urine
- Treatment:
- Restrict Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine in diet
- (Branched chain AA)
- Branch → VaLI
- Thiamine supplementation.
- Mnemonic Miss u di (MSUD )- Batch (Branch) mate valli
- Maple () tree has Branches () and VALi () → got in Cycle (Cyclical movements)
Lysosomal Storage Disorders
Gaucher Disease
- Gotcha → Glucose thinnuna β guy → Got him → Beat his tummy so badly (Liver damage → hepatomegaly) → Break bones (bone pain, bone erosioins), let him bleed (pancytopenia) → churutti kuutti (crumbled tissue paper) flaskil itt (Erlen flask)
- Most common LSD in children
- Enzyme: Glucocerebrosidase
- Mnemonic: Gau Glu → Gauze Tissue paper → Put in a flask
- Accumulated lipid:
- Glucosyl ceramide/Glucosyl cerebroside.
- Found in RBC and platelet membranes.
- Absence of Beta Glucosidase (Beta Glucosyl Cerebrosidase).
- Cerebroside - Glucose = Ceramide
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- occurs from extramedullary erythropoiesis.
- Compensatory erythropoiesis causes:
- Bony erosions and bone pain.
- Osteopenia
- Potential Erlenmeyer flask deformity.
- Pancytopenia
- Macrophages engulf abnormal RBCs and platelets
- Leads to refractory anemia and thrombocytopenia
- Macrophages
- Accumulate fibrils
- Leads to crumpled tissue paper cells
- on bone marrow biopsy


- No mental retardation.
- No cherry red spot.
- Enzyme replacement therapy is available.
- α and β Glucosidase deficiency
Cherry Red Spot Disorders

- Seen in:
- GM1 gangliosidosis
- Tay-Sachs disease
- Niemann Pick disease
- Not seen in Gaucher
Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS)
Type | Name | Enzyme Deficiency | ㅤ |
1 | Hurler | α-L-Iduronidase | • Visual disturbances + • Mental retardation |
1 | Scheie | α-L-Iduronidase (Partial defect) | • Hirsutism • Normal intelligence |
2 | Hunter | Iduronate sulfatase | • X linked, • No corneal clouding • Intellectual disability • Aggressive behavior I du(Iduronate sulfatase) wanna hunt |
3 | Sanfilippo | Heparin-S-sulfamidase (degrades heparan sulfate) | • M/c MPS • No corneal clouding • Behavioral problems prominent |
4 | Morquio disease | Galactosamine-6-sulphatase, β-galactosidase | • Severe skeletal dysplasia • Normal Intelligence • No Visceromegaly • No Reilly body inclusion More Que → caused Skeletal problem → give β guy some milk (β galactosidase) |
6 | Maroteaux-Lamy | Aryl sulfatase B | • Similar to MPS I • Normal intelligence |
9 | Natowicz syndrome | Hyaluronidase | _ |



Mnemonic:
- All present → Hurler
- Normal intelligence
- Mo () Mo () shie ()
- She → No MR → But Hirsuitism → DS
- Ass → Idurunidase
- Martolamy → Like She → No MR, No Hirsuitism → DS
- Mola (Morattu Lamy) → Arya Stark (Aryl sulfatase)
- Has Nagam (Nagalzyme) around her
- More Que →Four Que
- No visceromegaly
- Only 1 without Visceromegaly
- No Leucocyte inclusions
- Only 1 without Leucocyte inclusions
- Clear vision
- Hunters and Filippines (San filippo) are similar
- Hunters
- aggressively (Aggressive behavious)
- aim for the X (X-linked recessive).
- Hunter ate → Iduronate
- Pebbly skin
- Filippines
- more common
- But not a common answer
- Hydrops fetalis only in
- Sly
Indication | Name | ERT Drug | GAG Type | Rx/Mnemonic |
MPS I - H | Hurler | Aldurazyme (laronidase) | DS + HS | • Stem Cell therapy • Substate Reduction Therapy (Flavinoids) |
MPS I - S | Scheie | Aldurazyme (laronidase) | DS | • 1st → Aldurantham |
MPS 2 | Hunter | Elaprase (idursulfase) | DS + HS | • Best hunterkk Praise kodukkum • (Elaprase) |
MPS 6 | Maroteaux-Lamy | Naglazyme (galsulfase) | DS | • Arya Stark (Aryl sulfatase) • Has Nagam (Nagalzyme) around her |
- HHHH → Hunter, Hurler, Heparan sulphate
Confirmatory Tests
- Enzyme Activity Assay
- In leukocytes or fibroblasts
- Genetic tests
Prenatal Diagnosis
- Amniocentesis/CVS
- For enzyme assay or gene testing
Inheritance:
- All AR
- except Hunter (X-linked)
- Fabry Mnemonic: X-linked
Clinical of Hurler:

- Coarse facies, hepatosplenomegaly
- puffy-looking facies,
- periorbital puffiness,
- depressed nose bridge,
- prominent philtrum,
- protruding tongue
- Intellectual disability/mental retardation
- Dysostosis multiplex
- Thickened skull
- J-shaped sella
- Paddle ribs
- Bullet phalanges
- Vertebral beaking



- Corneal clouding
- Cardiac issues,
- Airway obstruction
Aryl suphatase
- Metachromatic leukodystrophy
- Enzyme: Arylsulfatase A
- CNS involvement present
- Maroteaux-Lamy
- Enzyme: Arylsulfatase B
- No CNS involvement


Tigroid appearance of brain


Feature | Pelizaeus–Merzbacher | Metachromatic Leukodystrophy |
Inheritance | X-linked recessive | Autosomal recessive (white matter involvement). |
Defect | PLP1 gene | Arylsulfatase A |
Myelin problem | Hypomyelination | Demyelination |
Hallmark | • Early nystagmus | • Sulfatides accumulation • Peripheral nerves involved • Metachromasia • Cherry red spot |
Mnemonic | Merzbacker → mess in the back → 💩 → look like tiger | • Central and peripheral demyelination • Ataxia, dementia |