We present blood and urine levels of unconjugated o-hydroxyphenylacetic, phenyllactic and phenylpyruvic acids in 61 children (2 years of age and above) and juveniles with phenylketonuria on or partially off diet. The samples were obtained during 185 scheduled outpatient visits and have been analysed with gas chromatographic methods. The compiled data define reference ranges of phenylalanine transamination capacity and of renal transport of metabolites which may be of value in further studies on the pathogenesis of phenylketonuria.
There is a steady and nonlinear relationship between the levels of both phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) and o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (oOPAA) in urine and the plasma levels of phenylalanine (phe) in children more than two years of age with phenylketonuria (PKU). If phe levels in blood rise above 0.35 mM (5.8 mg/100 ml) both aromatic acids are found regularly in urine. Typically, urinary concentrations of PPA are about 5 times higher than those of oOPAA. This report is based on the analysis of 94 samples from 51 children, on or off diet.
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