BACKGROUND:

The diagnosis of heterozygosity for X-linked ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCT) deficiency has usually been based on measurement of the increase of orotate and orotidine excretion after an allopurinol load. We examined the choices of analyte, cutoff, and test conditions to obtain maximal test accuracy.

METHODS:

Urine orotate/orotidine responses to allopurinol load in 37 children (13 OCT-deficient and 24 non-OCT-deficient) and 24 women (7 at risk for carrier status and 17 not related to OCT-deficient children) were analyzed by liquid chromatography after sample purification by anion-exchange chromatography. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by nonparametric ROC curves.

RESULTS:

Sample purification was necessary to prevent interferences. Orotate and orotidine excretion increased with increased protein intake during the test. At a cutoff of 8 mmol orotidine/mol creatinine, sensitivity was 1.0 and specificity was 0. 92 in mild forms of OCT deficiency. Results in monoplex carrier women may differ greatly from those expected because of the genetics of this deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS:

Standardization of protein intake is required in the allopurinol loading test. A negative response in the face of clinical suspicion should be followed with a repeat test during a protein intake not <2.5 g x kg-1 x day-1. Measurements of orotidine provide better clinical sensitivity than measurements of orotate.