High levels of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone) in the urine. Ketone bodies are insignificant in the blood and urine of normal individuals in the postprandial or overnight-fasted state.

Increased concentration of methylmalonic acid in the urine.

An increased concentration of lactic acid in the urine.

Failure to thrive (FTT) refers to a child whose physical growth is substantially below the norm.

Difficulty in swallowing.

A state of fatigue, either physical or mental slowness and sluggishness, with difficulties in initiating or performing simple tasks. Distinguished from apathy which implies indifference and a lack of desire or interest in the task. A person with lethargy may have the desire, but not the energy to engage in personal or socially relevant tasks.

Absence of neurologic reflexes such as the knee-jerk reaction.

A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.

A type of motor delay characterized by a delay in acquiring the ability to control the large muscles of the body for walking, running, sitting, and crawling.

Hypotonia is an abnormally low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle). Even when relaxed, muscles have a continuous and passive partial contraction which provides some resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia thus manifests as diminished resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, although the two conditions can co-exist.

A lack of strength of the proximal muscles.

An abnormally high degree of muscle fiber size variation. This phenotypic feature can be observed upon muscle biopsy.

An abnormal predominance of type I muscle fibers (in general, this feature can only be observed on muscle biopsy).

A severe form of respiratory insufficiency characterized by inadequate gas exchange such that the levels of oxygen or carbon dioxide cannot be maintained within normal limits.

An elevation of the level of the enzyme creatine kinase (also known as creatine phosphokinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) in the blood. CK levels can be elevated in a number of clinical disorders such as myocardial infarction, rhabdomyolysis, and muscular dystrophy.

The upper eyelid margin is positioned 3 mm or more lower than usual and covers the superior portion of the iris (objective); or, the upper lid margin obscures at least part of the pupil (subjective).

Progressive external ophthalmoplegia is a condition characterized by weakness of the eye muscles. The condition typically appears in adults between ages 18 and 40 and slowly worsens over time. The first sign of progressive external ophthalmoplegia is typically drooping eyelids (ptosis), which can affect one or both eyelids. As ptosis worsens, affected individuals may use the forehead muscles to try to lift the eyelids, or they may lift up their chin in order to see. Another characteristic feature of progressive external ophthalmoplegia is weakness or paralysis of the muscles that move the eye (ophthalmoplegia). Affected individuals have to turn their head to see in different directions, especially as the ophthalmoplegia worsens. People with progressive external ophthalmoplegia may also have general weakness of the muscles used for movement (myopathy), particularly those in the neck, arms, or legs. The weakness may be especially noticeable during exercise (exercise intolerance). Muscle weakness may also cause difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).\n\nWhen the muscle cells of affected individuals are stained and viewed under a microscope, these cells usually appear abnormal. These abnormal muscle cells contain an excess of cell structures called mitochondria and are known as ragged-red fibers.\n\nAlthough muscle weakness is the primary symptom of progressive external ophthalmoplegia, this condition can be accompanied by other signs and symptoms. In these instances, the condition is referred to as progressive external ophthalmoplegia plus (PEO+). Additional signs and symptoms can include hearing loss caused by nerve damage in the inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss), weakness and loss of sensation in the limbs due to nerve damage (neuropathy), impaired muscle coordination (ataxia), a pattern of movement abnormalities known as parkinsonism, and depression.\n\nProgressive external ophthalmoplegia is part of a spectrum of disorders with overlapping signs and symptoms. Similar disorders include ataxia neuropathy spectrum and Kearns-Sayre syndrome. Like progressive external ophthalmoplegia, the other conditions in this spectrum can involve weakness of the eye muscles. However, these conditions have many additional features not shared by most people with progressive external ophthalmoplegia.

A reduction in the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I, which is part of the electron transport chain in mitochondria.

A reduction in the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex III, which is part of the electron transport chain in mitochondria.

A reduction in the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV, which is part of the electron transport chain in mitochondria.