Pompe disease, also known as acid maltase deficiency or acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency, in its most severe form results in a rapidly progressive, neonatal-onset skeletal and cardiomyopathy, leading to early infantile death without treatment. The development of treatment with recombinant enzyme replacement therapy radically transformed the clinical trajectory of those affected, enabling long-term ventilator-free survival with resolution of cardiomyopathy. These positive clinical outcomes resulted in the implementation of newborn screening programs for Pompe disease across the world. This Special Issue highlights some of the experiences of Pompe screening programs worldwide and discusses public policy and ethical issues elicited by presymptomatic screening for Pompe disease.

Presents clinical, biochemical, and genetic information concerning those metabolic anomalies grouped under inborn errors of metabolism.

The explosion of insights in the field of metabolic disease has shed new light on diagnostic as well as treatment options. ‘Inherited Metabolic Disease – A Clinical Approach’ is written with a reader-friendly consistent structure. It helps the reader to find the information in an easily accessible and rapid way when needed. Starting with an overview of the major groups of metabolic disorders it includes algorithms with questions and answers as well as numerous graphs, metabolic pathways, and an expanded index. Clinical and diagnostic details with a system and symptom based are given to facilitate an efficient and yet complete diagnostic work-up of individual patients. Further, it offers helpful advice for emergency situations, such as hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, lactic acidosis or acute encephalopathy. Five different indices allow a quick but complete orientation for common important constellations. Last but not least, it has an appendix with a guide to rapid differential diagnosis of signs and symptoms and when not to suspect metabolic disease. It will help physicians to diagnose patients they may otherwise fail to diagnose and to reduce unnecessary referrals. For metabolic and genetic specialists especially the indices will be helpful as a quick look when being called for advice. It has all it needs to become a gold standard defining the clinical practice in this field.

The second edition of The Floppy Infant is devoted to the recognition and diagnosis of the floppy infant syndrome. It includes a review of some of the more important causes and provides a practical approach to the assessment and management such children require. The text of the first edition has been completely revised, but the emphasis has not changed: it remains an immensely practical and up-to-date handbook for the clinician.

A review of childhood neurodegenerative and other progressive but non-degenerative disorders to guide their diagnosis and management.

The 2nd Edition of Metabolic Diseases provides readers with a completely updated description of the Foundations of Clinical Management, Genetics, and Pathology. A distinguished group of 31 expert authors has contributed 25 chapters as a tribute to Enid Gilbert-Barness and the late Lewis Barness--- both pioneers in this topic. Enid’s unique perspectives on the pathology of genetic disorders and Lew’s unsurpassed knowledge of metabolism integrated with nutrition have inspired the contributors to write interdisciplinary descriptions of generally rare, and always challenging, hereditary metabolic disorders. Discussions of these interesting genetic disorders are organized in the perspective of molecular abnormalities leading to morphologic disturbances with distinct pathology and clinical manifestations. The book emphasizes recent advances such as development of improved diagnostic methods and discovery of new, more effective therapies for many of the diseases. It includes optimal strategies for diagnosis and information on access to specialized laboratories for specific testing. The target audience is a wide variety of clinicians, including pediatricians, neonatologists, obstetricians, maternal-fetal specialists, internists, pathologists, geneticists, and laboratorians engaged in prenatal and/or neonatal screening. In addition, all scientists and health science professionals interested in metabolic diseases will find the comprehensive, integrated chapters informative on the latest discoveries. It is our hope that the 2nd Edition will open new avenues and vistas for our readers and that they will share with us the interest, excitement and passion of the research into all these challenging disorders.

The fields of rare diseases research and orphan products development continue to expand with more products in research and development status. In recent years, the role of the patient advocacy groups has evolved into a research partner with the academic research community and the bio-pharmaceutical industry. Unique approaches to research and development require epidemiological data not previously available to assist in protocol study design and patient recruitment for clinical trials required by regulatory agencies prior to approval for access by patents and practicing physicians.