Guidelines for diagnosis and management of the cobalamin‐related remethylation disorders cblC, cblD, cblE, cblF, cblG, cblJ and MTHFR deficiency

Martina Huemer, Daria Diodato, Bernd Schwahn, Manuel Schiff, Anabela Bandeira, Jean‐Francois Benoist, Alberto Burlina, Roberto Cerone, Maria L. Couce, Angeles Garcia‐Cazorla, Giancarlo la Marca, Elisabetta Pasquini, Laura Vilarinho, James D. Weisfeld‐Adams, Viktor Kožich, Henk Blom, Matthias R. Baumgartner, Carlo Dionisi‐Vici

Remethylation defects are rare inherited disorders in which impaired remethylation of homocysteine to methionine leads to accumulation of homocysteine and perturbation of numerous methylation reactions. To summarise clinical and biochemical characteristics of these severe disorders and to provide guidelines on diagnosis and management. Review, evaluation and discussion of the medical literature (Medline, Cochrane databases) by a panel of experts on these rare diseases following the GRADE approach. We strongly recommend measuring plasma total homocysteine in any patient presenting with the combination of neurological and/or visual and/or haematological symptoms, subacute spinal cord degeneration, atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome or unexplained vascular thrombosis. We strongly recommend to initiate treatment with parenteral hydroxocobalamin without delay in any suspected remethylation disorder; it significantly improves survival and incidence of severe complications. We strongly recommend betaine treatment in individuals with MTHFR deficiency; it improves the outcome and prevents disease when given early.