Isolated adipic aciduria

Adipic acid can appear, in combination with other dicarboxylic acids, in the urine of patients in a number of underlying metabolic diseases. A child with seizures and mental retardation of unknown etiology who was found to have elevated isolated adipic aciduria on investigation for metabolic diseases is reported. A dietary artifact was suspected, and the adipic aciduria resolved after the child was kept on a specific restricted diet for 3 days. This is the third report of isolated adipic aciduria secondary to food. Findings confirm the previous reports of dietary origin of isolated adipic aciduria and should alert clinicians to such artifact before committing patients to unnecessary treatments.