The nonprotein amino acid L-allo-isoleucine is formed endogenously in maple syrup urine disease patients from (R)-3-methyl-2-oxo-pentanoic acid. During strict metabolic balance, the plasma L-allo-isoleucine/L-isoleucine ratio correlates inversely with the residual activity of the branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase in fibroblasts and thus constitutes a relevantin vivoparameter of the severity of the metabolic defect in MSUD patients.