PLASMA FERRITIN LEVELS AS A GUIDE TO THE TREATMENT OF PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA BY VENESECTION

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01216.x
• Publication Date: 2007-06-29T03:38:29Z
• Authors: Sujjiva Ratnaike; Dennis Blake; David Campbell; Peter Cowen; George Varigos
• Keywords: Porphyria cutanea tarda

SUMMARY We have examined prospectively the plasma ferritin levels during management often patients with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) who were being treated by venesection. compared clinical features as well plasma, urine and faecal porphyrin levels. Plasma found to be variable initial period of treatment, then decreased in parallel improvement. Clinical remission a fall lagged several weeks behind near exhaustion body iron stores indicated This lag are best explained, we believe, presence large accumulation porphryin liver PCT. suggest that venesection stopped when falls lower end reference range.