About
Very-long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCAD) is a condition in which the body is unable to break down certain fats. Individuals affected by VLCAD are unable to convert some of the fats they eat into energy the body needs to function. Instead, too many unused fatty acids build up in the body. If untreated, VLCAD can cause brain damage and even death. However, if the condition is detected early in life and proper treatment is begun, individuals affected with VLCAD often can lead healthy lives. Signs of VLCAD can start anytime between infancy and adulthood. These signs include sleeping longer or more often, tiredness, behavior changes, irritability, poor appetite, fever, diarrhea, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and muscle weakness (hypotonia). Many of these signs may occur when a baby eats foods the body cannot break down. Symptoms can be triggered by long periods of time without eating, illnesses, and infections.
Condition Type:
Core Conditions
Frequency:
The exact number of individuals affected by very-long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCAD) is unknown. Some estimates suggest that the condition may affect as many as 1 out of every 30,000 people.
More Information for Parents:
Also known as:
- VLCADD
- Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
- Very long-chain acyl-coenzyme a dehydrogenase deficiency
- Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase very long chain deficiency
- VLCAD-C
- VLCAD-H
- ACADVL
- LCAD
Core Conditions
- Propionic Acidemia (PROP)
- Methylmalonic Acidemia (Methylmalonyl-CoA Mutase Deficiency) (MUT)
- Methylmalonic Acidemia (Cobalamin Conditions)
- Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA)
- 3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA Carboxylase Deficiency (3-MCC)
- 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaric Aciduria (HMG)
- Holocarboxylase Synthetase Deficiency (MCD)
- Beta-Ketothiolase Deficiency (BKT)
- Glutaric Acidemia, Type I (GA-1)
- Biotinidase Deficiency (BIOT)
- Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD)
- Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
- Classic Galactosemia (GALT)
- Hearing Loss or Varying Hearing Levels
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
- X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD)
- Pompe
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- Mucopolysaccharidosis, Type I (MPS I)
Secondary
- Citrullinemia, Type II (CIT II)
- Hypermethioninemia (MET)
- Benign Hyperphenylalaninemia (H-PHE)
- Biopterin Defect in Cofactor Biosynthesis (BIOPT-BS)
- Biopterin Defect in Cofactor Regeneration (BIOPT-REG)
- Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency (OTC)
- Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase Deficiency (CPS)
- Tyrosinemia, Type II (TYR II)
- Tyrosinemia, Type III (TYR III)