Recurrent attacks of status epilepticus as predominant symptom in 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency

A patient with isolated 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (MCC) deficiency with an unusual clinical presentation is described. The patient presented with clusters of seizures with two or three months disease free interval in the first year of life which then evolved into attacks of status epilepticus after the age of 12 months. MCC deficiency was suspected because of elevated C5–OH–carnitine in tandem mass spectrometry and elevated 3-hydroxy-isovaleric acid in urine organic acid analysis. Deficiency of MCC was confirmed in cultured fibroblasts and mutation analysis revealed a novel mutation in MCCB, p.S39F. Attacks of status epilepticus as a predominant symptom have not been described before in isolated MCC deficiency.