3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase (HL) deficiency is a neurometabolic disorder characterized by predominant accumulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid (HMG) in tissues and biological fluids.
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase (HL) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that affects ketogenesis and l-leucine catabolism, which generally appears during the first year of life.
The relatively high frequency of the "common" HMGCL Portuguese mutation makes useful the development of a rapid and specific molecular confirmation of new cases with HL deficiency in our country.