Letters to the Editor
Armnoacidopathies among institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait Received 15 January, revised version received 14 May, accepted for publication 6 June 1992
To the Editor: In Kuwait, 187 patients were selected for investigation of amino acid disorders from among 430 institutionalised mentally retarded patients assessed by a multispeciality team during a 4-year period (from July 1986 to July 1990). They were selected because of suggestive clinical features or/and the presence of nondelineated familial mental retardation. Quantitative amino acid analysis on serum samples (by HPLC) was done in 69 males (between 7 and 36 years of age) and 1 18 females (between 10 and 16 years of age). Eleven patients showed different aminoacidopathies (2.55%) (Table I ). Eight P K U patients were detected among 430 institutionalised mentally retarded (1.86%). This figure is close to that reported by Asbjrarn Fralling ( 1.9%) in Norway ( 1934) and higher than the figure previously reported by Teebi et al. f 1987) ( 1.6%) in Kuwait. Table 1. Prevalence of different aminoacidopathies among the 430 institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait Percentage Aminoacidopathy
No.
(%I
Phenylketonuria Cystathioninuria Homocystinuria Hyperlysinuria
8 1 1
1.86 0.23 0.23 0.23
11
2.55
Overall
212
1
In addition, three other aminoacidopathies were detected: cystathioninuria (0.23%), homocystinuria (0.23%) and hyperlysinuria (0.23%). Detailed data will be ready for publication very soon (Farag et al. 1992). G. Yadav T. I. Farag S . A. A1 Awadi T. Sam M. J. Marafie L. Bastaki M. Y. El Khalifa B. Kasrawi R. A. Wdhba References Farag TI, Al Awadi SA, Marafie MJ. Bastaki L, El-Khalifa MY, At-Othman SA. Mohammed FM, Abul Hasan S, Reda AA, Yadav G, Krishna Murthy DS, Kasrawi B, Wahba RA, El-Khorafi H, A1 Suliman 1. Clinicogenetic study of 430 institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait. 1992 (in preparation). Folling A. h e r Ausxheidung von Phenylbrenztraubensiure in den Ham als Stoffwechsel anorrahe in Verbindung mit Imbezillitlt. Z Physiol Chem 1934: 8: 1054-1059. Teebi AS, Al-Awadi SA, Farag TI, Naguib KK, El-Khalifa MY. Phenylhtonuria in Kuwait and Arab countries. Eur J Pediatr 1987: 146: 59-60.
Correspondence Dr. Talaat I. Farag P.O.Box 31 145, Sulibikhat 90802, Kuwait
Armnoacidopathies among institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait Received 15 January, revised version received 14 May, accepted for publication 6 June 1992
To the Editor: In Kuwait, 187 patients were selected for investigation of amino acid disorders from among 430 institutionalised mentally retarded patients assessed by a multispeciality team during a 4-year period (from July 1986 to July 1990). They were selected because of suggestive clinical features or/and the presence of nondelineated familial mental retardation. Quantitative amino acid analysis on serum samples (by HPLC) was done in 69 males (between 7 and 36 years of age) and 1 18 females (between 10 and 16 years of age). Eleven patients showed different aminoacidopathies (2.55%) (Table I ). Eight P K U patients were detected among 430 institutionalised mentally retarded (1.86%). This figure is close to that reported by Asbjrarn Fralling ( 1.9%) in Norway ( 1934) and higher than the figure previously reported by Teebi et al. f 1987) ( 1.6%) in Kuwait. Table 1. Prevalence of different aminoacidopathies among the 430 institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait Percentage Aminoacidopathy
No.
(%I
Phenylketonuria Cystathioninuria Homocystinuria Hyperlysinuria
8 1 1
1.86 0.23 0.23 0.23
11
2.55
Overall
212
1
In addition, three other aminoacidopathies were detected: cystathioninuria (0.23%), homocystinuria (0.23%) and hyperlysinuria (0.23%). Detailed data will be ready for publication very soon (Farag et al. 1992). G. Yadav T. I. Farag S . A. A1 Awadi T. Sam M. J. Marafie L. Bastaki M. Y. El Khalifa B. Kasrawi R. A. Wdhba References Farag TI, Al Awadi SA, Marafie MJ. Bastaki L, El-Khalifa MY, At-Othman SA. Mohammed FM, Abul Hasan S, Reda AA, Yadav G, Krishna Murthy DS, Kasrawi B, Wahba RA, El-Khorafi H, A1 Suliman 1. Clinicogenetic study of 430 institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait. 1992 (in preparation). Folling A. h e r Ausxheidung von Phenylbrenztraubensiure in den Ham als Stoffwechsel anorrahe in Verbindung mit Imbezillitlt. Z Physiol Chem 1934: 8: 1054-1059. Teebi AS, Al-Awadi SA, Farag TI, Naguib KK, El-Khalifa MY. Phenylhtonuria in Kuwait and Arab countries. Eur J Pediatr 1987: 146: 59-60.
Correspondence Dr. Talaat I. Farag P.O.Box 31 145, Sulibikhat 90802, Kuwait
