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10 - Porphyria cutanea tarda

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2011

James C. Barton ,
Corwin Q. Edwards ,
Pradyumna D. Phatak ,
Robert S. Britton  and
Bruce R. Bacon
By
James C. Barton ,
Corwin Q. Edwards ,
Pradyumna D. Phatak ,
Robert S. Britton  and
Bruce R. Bacon
James C. Barton
Affiliation:
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Corwin Q. Edwards
Affiliation:
University of Utah Medical Center
Pradyumna D. Phatak
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
Robert S. Britton
Affiliation:
St Louis University, Missouri
Bruce R. Bacon
Affiliation:
St Louis University, Missouri
James C. Barton
Affiliation:
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Corwin Q. Edwards
Affiliation:
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
Pradyumna D. Phatak
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
Robert S. Britton
Affiliation:
St Louis University, Missouri
Bruce R. Bacon
Affiliation:
St Louis University, Missouri
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Summary

Porphyrias are disorders caused by heritable or acquired deficiency of an enzyme that is required for the normal synthesis of heme. A ring structure, heme is formed by the insertion of an iron atom into protoporphyrin in the final step of the porphyrin synthesis pathway. The usual presenting symptoms and signs of porphyrias are either skin photosensitivity or neurovisceral symptoms and signs. Three types of porphyria are characterized by a predominance of photosensitivity (porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), congenital erythropoietic porphyria, and erythropoietic protoporphyria). Two types of porphyria are characterized mainly by neurovisceral symptoms and signs (acute intermittent porphyria and aminolevulinate dehydratase deficiency). The two remaining types of porphyria are characterized by both photosensitivity and neurovisceral symptoms and signs (hereditary coproporphyria and variegate porphyria). The seven main types of porphyria, the associated enzyme deficiency, the mode of inheritance, and the major presenting symptoms and signs are displayed in Table 10.1. The only type of porphyria discussed here is PCT, the most common of all porphyrias.

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT)

PCT is estimated to occur in about 1 per 5000 to 25,000 individuals in the general population. PCT is caused by decreased specific activity of the uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase enzyme, the fifth enzyme in the heme synthesis pathway. Three types of PCT can be identified on the basis of decreased activity of the uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase enzyme (URO-D) in liver cells or in erythrocytes.

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Handbook of Iron Overload Disorders , pp. 160 - 168
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

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