Arginase Deficiency / Disease

Diseases & Conditions

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Arginase Deficiency

Synonyms of Arginase Deficiency

ARG Deficiency
Argininemia
Hyperargininemia

Disorder Subdivisions

General Discussion
Arginase deficiency is a rare inherited disorder characterized by complete or partial lack of the enzyme arginase. Arginase is one of six enzymes that play a role in the breakdown and removal of nitrogen from the body, a process known as the urea cycle. The lack of the arginase enzyme results in excessive accumulation of nitrogen, in the form of ammonia (hyperammonemia), in the blood and arginine (hyperarginemia) in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Affected infants may exhibit mental retardation, seizures, and spasticity. Arginase deficiency is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

The urea cycle disorders are a group of rare disorders affecting the urea cycle, a series of biochemical processes in which nitrogen is converted into urea and removed from the body through the urine. Nitrogen is a waste product of protein metabolism. Failure to break down nitrogen results in the abnormal accumulation of nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, in the blood.
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Organizations related to Arginase Deficiency

Brusilow, Saul, M.D.
Children's Medical and Surgical Center
Baltimore MD 21205
Phone #: 410-955-0885
800 #: --
e-mail: N/A
Home page: N/A
CLIMB (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases)
Climb Building
Crewe Intl CW2 6BG
Phone #: +44- 87-0 7700 325
800 #: --
e-mail: info@climb.org.uk
Home page: http://www.CLIMB.org.uk
Cederbaum, Stephen, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-825-0402
800 #: --
e-mail: N/A
Home page: N/A
Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
NIH/National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
2 Information Way
Bethesda MD 20892-3570
Phone #: 301-654-3810
800 #: 800-891-5389
e-mail: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Home page: http://www.niddk.nih.gov
National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation
4841 Hill Street
La Canada CA 91011
Phone #: 818-790-2460
800 #: 800-386-8233
e-mail: info@nucdf.org
Home page: http://www.nucdf.org
The Arc (a national organization on mental retardation)
1010 Wayne Ave
Silver Spring MD 20910
Phone #: 301-565-3842
800 #: 800-433-5255
e-mail: info@thearc.org
Home page: http://www.thearc.org/

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ? (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html