PMID: 6962627Jan 1, 1982Paper

Phlebotomy treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda

Acta Dermato-venereologica. Supplementum
O Lundvall

Abstract

The effect of phlebotomy on 44 patients (33 men and 11 women) with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is described. All had typical biochemical and clinical signs of PCT. The patients were bled until slight anemia and signs of iron deficiency. In patients who were bled frequently and who were not given iron supplements in conjunction with phlebotomy, urinary uroporphyrin excretion decreased to 1 mg (or 1.2 mumol) a day or less in 1-8 months (mean 4 months) and then continued to decrease long after the treatment had been stopped and became normal in many patients. A decrease in porphyrin excretion comparable to that in patients treated with phlebotomy occurred in only two out of 12 controls. Remission occurred in patients treated with phlebotomy who had iron overload as well as in patients with quantitatively normal iron stores and in patients abstaining from alcohol as well as in patients who continued their abuse of alcohol. The disappearance of skin fragility and ulcers coincided roughly with the time when the urinary excretion of uroporphyrin decreased to about 1 mg (1.2 mumol) a day. After 43 remissions (in 43 patients) not followed by iron medication, one relapse occurred after a period of 20 months. In 5 patients in whom their...Continue Reading

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