N-Acetyl Glutamate Synthetase Deficiency / Disease

Diseases & Conditions

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N-Acetyl Glutamate Synthetase Deficiency

Synonyms of N-Acetyl Glutamate Synthetase Deficiency

Hyperammonemia Due to N-Acetylglutamate synthetase Deficiency
NAGS Deficiency

Disorder Subdivisions

General Discussion
N-acetylglutamate synthetase (NAGS) deficiency is a rare genetic disorder characterized by complete or partial lack of the enzyme N-acetylglutamate synthetase (NAGS). NAGS is one of six enzymes that play a role in the break down and removal of nitrogen from the body, a process known as the urea cycle. The lack of the NAGS enzyme results in excessive accumulation of nitrogen, in the form of ammonia (hyperammonemia), in the blood. Excess ammonia, which is a neurotoxin, travels to the central nervous system through the blood, resulting in the symptoms and physical findings associated with NAGS deficiency. Symptoms include vomiting, refusal to eat, progressive lethargy, and coma. NAGS 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 N-Acetyl Glutamate Synthetase Deficiency

American Kidney Fund, Inc.
6110 Executive Boulevard
Rockville MD 20852
Phone #: 301-881-3052
800 #: 800-638-8299
e-mail: helpline@kideyfund.org
Home page: http://www.kidneyfund.org
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
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
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 Kidney Foundation
30 East 33rd Street
New York NY 10016
Phone #: 212-889-2210
800 #: 800-622-9010
e-mail: info@kidney.org
Home page: http://www.kidney.org
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

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