J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2008 Apr;19(2):225-228.

A case of Hyperornithinemia-Hyperam monemia-Homocitrullinuria Syndrome: a Patient Who Visited the Emergency Center with Mental Change

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Korea. emfire@cnuh.co.kr
  • 2Emergency Medical Information Center in Daejeon, Korea.

Abstract

Rapid ammonia elevation in blood with accompanying mental change should be considered as a true medical emergency. In such a case, action leading to immediate diagnosis and the earliest possible treatment must occur in order to minimize permanent brain damage. Hyperornithinemia- Hyperammonemia-Homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome is a rare inborn errors of metabolism and autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the mitochondrial ornithine transporter at the cellular level. Emergency physicians should take account of the possibility of HHH syndrome in patients with unreasonable hyperammonemia coupled with altered mental status. We report a case of a 59-year old man who presented with headache, nausea, vomiting and altered mental status. His serologic test showed hyperornithinemia, hyperammomemia, and homocitrullinuria. He was treated with fluid therapy and hemodialysis. His clinical manifestation improved and he was discharged after hemodialysis

Keyword

Hyperammonemia; Amino Acid Metabolism; Inborn Errors; Metabolism

MeSH Terms

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic
Ammonia
Brain
Emergencies
Fluid Therapy
Headache
Humans
Hyperammonemia
Metabolism, Inborn Errors
Nausea
Ornithine
Renal Dialysis
Serologic Tests
Urea Cycle Disorders, Inborn
Vomiting
Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic
Ammonia
Hyperammonemia
Ornithine
Urea Cycle Disorders, Inborn
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