Lactic acidosis and accumulation of 3-hydroxybutyrate and other citric acid cycle intermediates were found in an infant with a lethal syndrome of metabolic acidosis and renal tubular acidosis. Nevertheless, the patient was relatively well for 4 mo of life. The activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, and branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase were all reduced to levels 9 to 29% of control. In contrast, the activity of lipoamide dehydrogenase was normal. The conversion of l-14C-leucine and l-I4C-valine to14CO2and of U-L-14C-valine to its major metabolic product 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid by fibroblasts derived from the patient was less than 5% of control. Cultivation of the patient's fibroblasts in medium enriched with lipoic acid markedly improved these in vitro conversions of leucine and valine.