Cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome of Zellweger. A report of eight cases with comments upon the incidence, the liver lesion, and a fault in pipecolic acid metabolism.

Studies of eight patients with this syndrome confirm the characteristic pattern of abnormalities and the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. The incidence is estimated to be approximately 1 in 100,000 live births. The liver lesion proved to be variable, with features of progressive parenchymal damage rather than a developmental defect of small bile ducts as previously suggested. Elevated levels of pipecolic acid were found in blood and urine and may be related to the basic defect.