Abnormal Carbohydrate Metabolism in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Rett Syndrome

We analyzed lactate, pyruvate, and citric acid cycle intermediates in cerebrospinal fluid by high-performance liquid chromatography in Rett syndrome patients (n = 27; mean age, 5.7 ± 3.4 years) and age-matched female controls (n = 12; mean age, 7.0 ± 3.3 years). The lactate, pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, and malate were significantly elevated in Rett syndrome compared to the controls. The lactate/pyruvate ratio was not different. On the other hand, cerebrospinal fluid citrate, cisaconitate, succinate, fumarate, and oxaloacetate were not significantly different in Rett syndrome patients than in the controls. We also evaluated the correlation between these acids and clinical symptoms and signs, including clinical stage, seizures, medications (anticonvulsants or naltrexone), developmental quotient, self-abuse, and hyperventilation or apnea or both. The concentrations of all these acids did not differ significantly with clinical stage. Lactate elevation significantly correlated with apnea. Lactate and pyruvate elevation significantly correlated with hyperventilation or with both breathing abnormalities. Our observations in this sample of patients with Rett syndrome led us to speculate that patients with the Rett syndrome may have defective carbohydrate metabolism. Elevated mitochondrial reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-linked substrates suggest that reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-ubiquinone oxidoreductase may be deficient in the brain in Rett syndrome patients. (J Child Neurol 1994;9:26-30).