The faecal porphyrin patterns of 24 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda symptomatica (PCTS), eight patients with variegate porphyria, three patients with other types of porphyria, and 20 non-porphyrics subjects have been compared using a two-demensional thin layer chromatographic technique that separates porphyrins of the isocoproporphyrin series from other faecal porphyrins. The 'isocopropor...

The porphyrias are uncommon disorders of haem biosynthesis and their eVective management requires prompt and accurate diagnosis. This article describes methods for the determination of urinary porphobilinogen, urinary and faecal total porphyrins, and total porphyrins in erythrocytes and plasma that are suitable for use in non-specialist laboratories. The selection and interpretation of these me...

Magnetic circular dichroism is a suitable technique for semiquantitative determination of total porphyrins in urine and feces, being rapid, reliable, and involving little sample preparation. The sensitivity of the assay suffices to distinguish normal from above-normal concentrations of total porphyrins in urine and feces. Results for urine compare well with those obtained by thin-layer chromato...

The porphyrias are a group of disorders of heme metabolism that result from partial defects in the several enzymes that control heme biosynthesis. Accumulation of porphyrins or porphyrin precursors in several different patterns results from these defects and biochemically characterizes each specific syndrome. Patterns of cutaneous photosensitivity and associated systemic symptoms among the seve...