NEUROPATHY-PORPHYRIA

SUMMARY

HISTORY
1. Abdominal pain
2. Psychosis
3. Seizures
4. Descending weakness (arms > legs)
5. Medications/menstrual cycle may precipitate

EXAMINATION
6. Distal sensory loss, reduced reflexes
7. Urine discoloration (on exposure to sunlight)

INVESTIGATIONS
8. Urinary, faecal, serum porphyrins (sent in foil to protect from light)
9. EUC: hyponatraemia

MANAGEMENT
10. Haem arginate, dextrose infusion, avoid harmful medications

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].