Clinical aspects of porphyrin measurement, other than lead poisoning.

In vitro pyrrole and porphyrin synthesis in lead poisoning and iron deficiency.

The porphyrias: recent advances.

Recent research has elucidated several of the hitherto poorly understood steps in heme synthesis. This review describes this metabolic pathway and pinpoints the enzymatic blockages in the various porphyrias. Recent advances in the understanding of the etiology of porphyria cutanea tarda are discussed, as are the abnormalities of porphyrin metabolism seen in chronic renal failure and in lead poi...

Lead Poisoning Can Be Easily Misdiagnosed as Acute Porphyria and Nonspecific Abdominal Pain

Lead poisoning (LP) is less commonly encountered in emergency departments (ED). However, lead exposure still occurs, and new sources of poisoning have emerged. LP often goes unrecognized due to a low index of suspicion and nonspecific symptoms. We present a case of a 48-year-old man who had recurring abdominal pain with anemia that was misdiagnosed. His condition was initially diagnosed as nons...

Pitfalls in Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin Measurement for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Protoporphyrias.

BACKGROUND Laboratory diagnosis of erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) requires a marked increase in total erythrocyte protoporphyrin (300-5000 μg/dL erythrocytes, reference interval <80 μg/dL) and a predominance (85%-100%) of metal-free protoporphyrin [normal, mostly zinc protoporphyrin (reference intervals for the zinc protoporphyrin proportion have not been established)]; plasma porphyrins a...

Renal Mechanism for Excretion of Porphyrin Precursors in Patients with Acute Intermittent Porphyria and Chronic Lead Poisoning.

A RAPID and accurate diagnosis of acute intermittent porp11yri t ( AlP) became possible once suitable methods were available for measurement of urine content of -aminolevulinic acid ( AI A ) and porphobilinogen (PBG).”2 Similarly, in lead poisoning, determination of ALA excretion has proven a useful chemical adjunct, both for diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation.3 The biochemical defect( s ) w...