title: Catecholamine metabolite excretion in spina bifida.
abstract: The urinary excretion of vanilmandelic acid (VMA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and parahydroxyphenylacetic acid (pHPAA) was measured in 55 children with meningomyelocoele selected at random. In 96% of the children the levels of one or other of these compounds was significantly raised above the normal, usually by a factor of about 3. High VMA levels usually meant high HVA levels but the values for pHPAA appeared to be quite independent of the others. These results suggest a disorder of tyrosine metabolism, and the possible implications are discussed.
mesh_terms: D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008333:Mandelic Acids / Q000652:urine; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000652:urine; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000652:urine; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000652:urine*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D008333:Mandelic Acids; D010648:Phenylacetates; D014443:Tyrosine; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; D003404:Creatinine