Elevated circulating phytanic acid concentration

What it means

An abnormal elevation of phytanic acid.

Phytanic acid (3,7,11,15-tetramethyl hexadecanoic acid) is a fatty acid that is derived from chlorophyll and present in the diet. The metabolism of phytanic acid involves alpha-oxidation in the peroxisome, which converts phytanic acid to pristanic acid. Peroxisomes involved in the catabolism of very long chain fatty acids and phytanic acid. Peroxisomal malfunctioning can lead to over-accumulation of very long chain fatty acids and phytanic acid, among other things.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Elevated level of phytanic acid