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How to Pronounce Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling

Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency Pronunciation

MUL-tih-pul AS-il koh-AY dee-hy-droh-JEN-ays deh-FISH-en-see

Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables

Syllable Breakdown

MUL

stress here

tih
pul AS
il koh
AY dee
hy
droh
JEN

stress here

ays deh
FISH

stress here

en
see

12 syllables

What is Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency?

A severe inherited disorder of fatty acid and amino acid metabolism (also called glutaric acidemia type II) caused by deficiency of electron transfer flavoprotein or its dehydrogenase, affecting multiple metabolic pathways simultaneously. Severe neonatal forms cause hypotonia, metabolic acidosis, and death; milder forms cause episodic metabolic crises and myopathy.

Questions About Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

How do you pronounce 'Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency'?

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Say it like this: MUL-tih-pul AS-il koh-AY dee-hy-droh-JEN-ays deh-FISH-en-see. The stress falls on the first syllable of 'multiple' (MUL), then on 'AS' in 'acyl,' and on 'JEN' in 'dehydrogenase.' The word is long, so breaking it into these chunks makes it easier to say smoothly.

What does the stress mistake sound like?

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People often accidentally stress 'CoA' (saying koh-AY with emphasis) or 'deficiency' (saying it like deh-FISH-en-SEE instead of deh-FISH-en-see). Remember that the main stresses are at the beginning: MUL-tih-pul AS-il, with secondary stress on JEN in the middle of the word.

How do you break this term into syllables?

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Here's the full breakdown: MUL-ti-pul / AS-il / koh-AY / dee-hy-dro-JEN-ase / deh-FISH-en-cy. That's about 14 syllables total, which is why it helps to say it piece by piece rather than all at once.

What does 'acyl-CoA' mean in this name?

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Acyl-CoA refers to a type of molecule involved in breaking down fatty acids and amino acids in the body. The 'CoA' stands for coenzyme A, a helper molecule cells need for metabolism. You don't need to understand the chemistry—just know this part of the name points to which metabolic pathways are affected.

What does 'dehydrogenase' mean?

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Dehydrogenase comes from Greek and Latin roots meaning 'to remove hydrogen.' It's a type of enzyme (a protein that helps chemical reactions happen). In medical names, when you see 'dehydrogenase,' it usually means a specific enzyme is missing or not working properly.

What does 'deficiency' mean in medical terms?

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'Deficiency' simply means a shortage or lack of something. In 'Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency,' it tells you that the body doesn't have enough of this particular enzyme to work properly.

Is there a shorter way to say or write this term?

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Yes! It's often abbreviated as 'MADD,' which you would say as a single letter: M-A-D-D. You might also hear it called by an older name, 'glutaric acidemia type II' (GLOO-tar-ik as-ih-DEE-mee-uh type too), though that name is less common now.

What does 'multiple' tell us about this condition?

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'Multiple' means 'more than one,' and in this term it signals that the deficiency affects several different metabolic pathways at the same time, not just one. That's why the disorder impacts both fatty acid breakdown and amino acid breakdown together.

How would you use this word in a sentence?

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You might hear a genetics counselor say: 'The genetic test showed that the patient has Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency,' or more simply, 'The test confirmed MADD.' These sentences are about identification and understanding the medical term itself.