3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase deficiency (HMGCLD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with the cardinal manifestations of metabolic acidosis without ketonuria, hypoglycemia, and a characteristic pattern of elevated urinary organic acid metabolites, including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric, 3-methylglutaric, and 3-hydroxyisovaleric acids. Urinary levels of 3-methylcrotonylglycine may be increased. Dicarboxylic aciduria, hepatomegaly, and hyperammonemia may also be observed. Presenting clinical signs include irritability, lethargy, coma, and vomiting (summary by Gibson et al., 1988).

Single large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletion syndromes (SLSMDSs) comprise overlapping clinical phenotypes including Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS), KSS spectrum, Pearson syndrome (PS), chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), and CPEO-plus. KSS is a progressive multisystem disorder with onset before age 20 years characterized by pigmentary retinopathy, CPEO, and cardiac conduction abnormality. Additional features can include cerebellar ataxia, tremor, intellectual disability or cognitive decline, dementia, sensorineural hearing loss, oropharyngeal and esophageal dysfunction, exercise intolerance, muscle weakness, and endocrinopathies. Brain imaging typically shows bilateral lesions in the globus pallidus and white matter. KSS spectrum includes individuals with KSS in addition to individuals with ptosis and/or ophthalmoparesis and at least one of the following: retinopathy, ataxia, cardiac conduction defects, hearing loss, growth deficiency, cognitive impairment, tremor, or cardiomyopathy. Compared to CPEO-plus, individuals with KSS spectrum have more severe muscle involvement (e.g., weakness, atrophy) and overall have a worse prognosis. PS is characterized by pancytopenia (typically transfusion-dependent sideroblastic anemia with variable cell line involvement), exocrine pancreatic dysfunction, poor weight gain, and lactic acidosis. PS manifestations also include renal tubular acidosis, short stature, and elevated liver enzymes. PS may be fatal in infancy due to neutropenia-related infection or refractory metabolic acidosis. CPEO is characterized by ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, oropharyngeal weakness, variable proximal limb weakness, and/or exercise intolerance. CPEO-plus includes CPEO with additional multisystemic involvement including neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, migraines, hypothyroidism, neuropsychiatric manifestations, and optic neuropathy. Rarely, an SLSMDS can manifest as Leigh syndrome, which is characterized as developmental delays, neurodevelopmental regression, lactic acidosis, and bilateral symmetric basal ganglia, brain stem, and/or midbrain lesions on MRI.

Costeff syndrome is characterized by optic atrophy and/or choreoathetoid movement disorder with onset before age ten years. Optic atrophy is associated with progressive decrease in visual acuity within the first years of life, sometimes associated with infantile-onset horizontal nystagmus. Most individuals have chorea, often severe enough to restrict ambulation. Some are confined to a wheelchair from an early age. Although most individuals develop spastic paraparesis, mild ataxia, and occasional mild cognitive deficit in their second decade, the course of the disease is relatively stable.

The category of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type IV (MGCA4) represents a heterogeneous unclassified group of patients who share mild or intermittent urinary excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid. MGCA excretion is a nonspecific finding observed in many other disorders caused by defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism (Gunay-Aygun, 2005). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA1 (250950)

3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type V (MGCA5) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the onset of dilated or noncompaction cardiomyopathy in infancy or early childhood. Many patients die of cardiac failure. Other features include microcytic anemia, growth retardation, mild ataxia, mild muscle weakness, genital anomalies in males, and increased urinary excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid. Some patients may have optic atrophy or delayed psychomotor development (summary by Davey et al., 2006 and Ojala et al., 2012). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).

MGCA8 is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder resulting in death in infancy. Features include hypotonia, abnormal movements, respiratory insufficiency with apneic episodes, and lack of developmental progress, often with seizures. Brain imaging is variable, but may show progressive cerebral atrophy. Laboratory studies show increased serum lactate and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, suggesting a mitochondrial defect (summary by Mandel et al., 2016). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).

3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type IX (MGCA9) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset seizures, severely delayed psychomotor development and intellectual disability. Patients have hypotonia or spasticity, and laboratory investigations show increased serum lactate and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, suggestive of a mitochondrial defect (summary by Shahrour et al., 2017). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).