usually made between 10 and 20 days of life, when the
patients become symptomatic and neurological damage
has already occurred. Therefore, countries currently
without a newborn screening programme for
metabolic disorders should take this issue seriously into
consideration.
In summary, we report a novel protein-truncating
mutation in the BCKDHA gene in a girl with severe
MSUD. Identification of the causative mutation
enabled us to make a successful prenatal diagnosis in
this family in which the fetus was found to be heterozygous
for the mutation. This study also re-emphasizes
the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of
MSUD in affected individuals to help them survive
and develop normally.
Acknowledgements Weare grateful toDr Sumonta Chaisomchit
of Thailand_s Ministry of Public Health for the tandem mass
spectrometry analysis. This study was supported by the Research
Unit Grant from Chulalongkorn University, the National Center
for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, and the Thailand
Research Fund.