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Biomedical subjects

W Tittelbach-Helmrich

Publications and source records attributed to W Tittelbach-Helmrich.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Results of selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism in the former East Germany.

Since the early 1970s selective screening for inherited metabolic disorders has been performed in larger children's hospitals or metabolic centres of the former East-Germany. As a rule the following methods were employed: initially paper chromatography, drop, dip and spot tests, later on thin-layer chromatography and more recently enzyme analysis, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and HPLC. Normally urine, blood or leucocytes were investigated. The diagnoses were confirmed in metabolic centres in Greifswald, Berlin or Leipzig or in collaboration with specialized laboratories abroad. About 130,000 subjects from former East Germany as well as from different East European countries were investigated, of which 365 patients were diagnosed and classified into roughly 40 various metabolic diseases. The proportion of positive diagnoses was 1 in 400.

Germany, East↗

Response to sodium benzoate treatment in non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia.

Therapy with benzoic acid in a case of classic neonatal non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia (NKH) was successful in stopping seizures but not in promoting mental development. Serum glycine levels were normalizable even by administering low doses of 53 mg sodium benzoate/kg body mass (BM) per day. Despite giving a higher dosage (240 mg/kg BM per day) normalization of glycine concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was not achieved. However, seizures ceased. Restriction of protein intake (< or = 2 g/kg BM per day) seemed to be profitable. CSF glycine concentrations below 100 mumol/L may be sufficient to prevent seizures in older infants who have adapted to neuronal glycine exposure. No toxicity of sodium benzoate treatment was detected when administering doses of up to 470 mg/kg BM per day but side effects such as itching and hyperactivity were obvious.

Benzoates↗

[Capillary blood as diagnostic sample in pediatric laboratory diagnosis. Arterio-capillary-venous difference and blood collection technique].

It is preferable to use capillary blood as diagnostic material in paediatric laboratory tests rather than venous blood. The collection of capillary blood makes less demands on the child and is easy in principle. The objection to capillary blood primarily concerns differences in the analyte concentration in arterial, capillary and venous blood. Comparative studies in the same child under standardised conditions are not available for a number of parameters. However, according to the results available at present, for almost all routine clinical chemical and haematological examinations clinically usable results can be obtained. Using the example of total protein analysis for the same child we did not find any differences between arterial and venous blood. It is highly probably that the same would apply to many other components. Suspected differences are probably a result of short-comings in the collection technique.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

[A staged plan for laboratory diagnosis of hereditary metabolic diseases].

When clinical evidence provides grounds for suspecting inborn errors of metabolism it is urgent to perform the necessary, relevant, specific laboratory investigations in good time and with a view to quality. Normally, the realization depends on individual initiatives and the use of laboratories mainly designed for pediatrics and human genetics. Consequently the results are equally a matter of chance. Nothing in this situation can be changed in principle by using the catalogue of services of the Society for Human Genetics of the GDR. Central administrative provisions are necessary to improve the present unsatisfactory situation. Proposals for regulations, division of responsibility and a graduated programme of parameters are discussed here with a view to establishing uniform procedures.

Child↗