Neonatal hyperammonemia is a disorder of ammonia metabolism that occurs in the neonatal period. It is a clinical syndrome characterized by abnormal accumulation of ammonia in the blood and dysfunction of the central nervous system. Due to its low incidence and lack of specificity in clinical manifestations, it is easy to cause misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. In order to further standardize the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hyperammonemia, the Youth Commission, Subspecialty Group of Neonatology, Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association formulated the expert consensus based on clinical evidence in China and overseas and combined with clinical practice experience,and put forward 18 recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hyperaminemia.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Ammonia ; China ; Consensus ; Hyperammonemia/therapy*

Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Carnitine ; deficiency ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Infant ; Muscular Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy

Hyperammonemia in the newborn often leads to severe fatal illness associated with hyperammonemic encephalopathy. Transient hyperammonemia in newborns (THAN) is characterized by self-limiting, transient hyperammonemia during the neonatal period. THAN may have favorable long-term outcomes if it is diagnosed early and appropriately managed. However, severe hyperammonemia can develop even in newborns with THAN, which may require emergent management. Here we report a case of THAN with severe hyperammonemia during the neonatal period that was successfully treated with continuous renal replacement therapy and nitrogen-scavenging medications. Our patient went on to develop normally and has not re-experienced a hyperammonemic episode until 9 months of age without the administration of a protein restricted diet or medications.
Diet, Protein-Restricted ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Infant, Newborn ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Urea Cycle Disorders, Inborn

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used in the treatment of a variety of solid tumors. Common adverse effects of fluorouracil chemotherapy include diarrhea, mucositis and myelosuppression. However, neurologic toxicities including hyperammonemic encephalopathy are rare and not well recognized. Transient hyperammonemic encephalopathy related to continuous infusion of high-dose 5-FU has rarely been reported. We report four cases of transient hyperammonemic encephalopathy in patients receiving continuous infusion of 5-FU. The mentality of all patients was altered during or just after the infusion of 5-FU. There were no focal neurological signs, laboratory excluding hyperammonemia or radiological abnormalities. After patients received adequate hydration and repeated lactulose enema, the mental status completely recovered within one or two days, and serum ammonium level subsequently returned to normal. In conclusion, we suggest that a transient hyperammonemic encephalopathy should be considered in differential diagnosis of patients receiving continuous 5-FU infusion with altered mentality.
Ammonium Compounds ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Enema ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Lactulose ; Mucositis

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD)is a most common ornithine cycle (urea cycle) disorder. It is a X-link inherited disorder caused by
Humans ; Hyperammonemia/etiology* ; Liver Transplantation ; Nervous System Diseases/prevention & control* ; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease/therapy*

The male neonate in this case study was admitted to the hospital at 15 hours of age due to respiratory distress for 15 hours and poor response for 3 hours after resuscitation from asphyxia. The neonate was highly unresponsive, with central respiratory failure and seizures. Serum ammonia was elevated (>1 000 μmol/L). Blood tandem mass spectrometry revealed a significant decrease in citrulline. Rapid familial whole genome sequencing revealed OTC gene mutations inherited from the mother. Continuous hemodialysis filtration and other treatments were given. Neurological assessment was performed by cranial magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram. The neonate was diagnosed with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency combined with brain injury. He died at 6 days of age after withdrawing care. This article focuses on the differential diagnosis of neonatal hyperammonemia and introduces the multidisciplinary management of inborn error of metabolism.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Citrulline ; Electroencephalography ; Hyperammonemia ; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease/therapy* ; Seizures

Hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) is a comparatively rare but often fatal clinical syndrome characterized by progressive respiratory alkalosis and abrupt mental status alteration associated with markedly elevated plasma ammonium levels. Although the exact mechanism of HS remains unclear, infection with urease producing microbes is proposed as the main etiology of HS recently. A patient with HS after repeated autologous skin transplantation was admitted to Tianjin First Center Hospital in March 2018, presented with fever, coma and epilepsy. The infection of Mycoplasma hominis was confirmed in blood sample by high throughput gene detection. The patient was survived after multimodal management including antimicrobial treatment, aggressive ammonia removal by continuous renal replacement therapy in combination with lactulose, and mechanical ventilation. She was successfully discharged from intensive care unit (ICU) with clear consciousness, normal temperature and smooth breath. In view of the experience of the case treatment, a review of literature was conducted to discuss the epidemiology and clinical characteristics, possible etiologies and mechanisms, and outcomes with emphasis on treatment strategies of HS and to promote more clinicians to recognize this rare disease.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia/therapy* ; Intensive Care Units ; Review Literature as Topic ; Skin Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy has been commonly used to treat metastatic or advanced colon cancer as an adjuvant chemotherapy. Although the side effects of 5-FU such as gastrointestinal problems and neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are common, not many cases of 5-FU related encephalopathy are reported. Hyperammonemic encephalopathy is a rare central nervous system toxicity following 5-FU chemotherapy manifesting as altered mental status with elevated ammonia levels with no radiologic abnormality. We report one case of 5-FU induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy occurring after Folfox4 (oxaliplatin, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy in a colon cancer patient who presented with confused mental status soon after the chemotherapy and review the 5-FU related encephalopathy.
Ammonia ; Brain Diseases, Metabolic ; Central Nervous System ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Drug Therapy* ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Leucovorin ; Neutropenia ; Thrombocytopenia

Continous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) is becoming increasingly popular for the support of critically ill patients with acute renal failure, and the development of pump-driven volumetric-control CRRT machines with small extracorporeal volumes has lead to the widespread use of venovenous form of CRRT in pediatric field. Basic principles are diffusion and convection. CRRT is indicated in the hemodynamically unstable pediatric patients for hypervolemic anuric acute renal failure, electrolyte abnormalities, multiorgan failure, catabolic patients with increased nutritional needs and hyperammonemia, etc. To date, experiences are limited for pediatric CRRT, but current reports support that CRRT is feasible and useful in children and even infants, and the survival rate of the patients on CRRT is as same as adults. We describe the basic principles, equipments, methods and complications of CRRT, with special considerations on small children to meet the current need for CRRT.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Child ; Convection ; Critical Illness ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Infant ; Pediatrics* ; Renal Replacement Therapy* ; Survival Rate

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has become the preferred dialysis modality to support critically ill children with acute kidney injury. As CRRT technology and clinical practice advances, experiences using CRRT on small infants and neonates have increased. In neonates with hyperammonemia or acute kidney injury during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, CRRT can be a safe and effective technique. However, there are many limitations of CRRT in neonates, including vascular access, bleeding complications, and lack of neonate-specific devices. This review discusses the basic principles of CRRT and the special considerations when using this technique in neonates and infants.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Child ; Critical Illness ; Dialysis ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Renal Replacement Therapy*