Clinical Information

Tyrosinemia type 1 (hepatorenal tyrosinemia: HT-1) is an autosomal recessive condition caused by a deficiency of the enzyme fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase. HT-1 primarily affects the liver, kidneys, and peripheral nerves, causing severe liver disease, renal tubular dysfunction, and neurologic crises. If left untreated, most patients die of liver failure in the first years of life, and all are at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence of HT-1 is approximately 1 in 100,000 live births.

Affected individuals can show a partial response to dietary restriction of phenylalanine and tyrosine, but dietary treatment in conjunction with the administration of 2-(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-1,3 cyclohexanedione (NTBC; nitisinone), an inhibitor of the proximal tyrosinemia pathway, is very effective when initiated in newborns. Outcome data are promising, and to date, newborn patients treated with NTBC have not developed acute liver disease, neurologic crises, or HCC.

According to treatment guidelines established in 2017, monitoring of blood NTBC concentration and succinylacetone (SUAC) levels, along with measuring the dietary intake of amino acids, including tyrosine and phenylalanine, are part of an individualized surveillance plan for patients with HT-1.(1) Monthly analysis of SUAC, NTBC concentration, and amino acids is suggested for the first year of life with the same compounds being monitored every 3 months to age 5 years and every 6 months thereafter.

The analytes encompassed in this assay satisfy the recommendations for diagnosing and monitoring HT-1. In particular, for NTBC, the current guidelines recommend 40 nmol/mL to 60 nmol/mL plasma concentration, which corresponds to a target range for NTBC in dried blood spots of 17 nmol/mL to 26 nmol/mL based on a blood to plasma conversion factor of 2.34.(2) Data from the validation of this assay suggests that NTBC dosing could be individualized while not to exceed DBS levels of 26 nmol/mL.(3)