[Porphyria cutanea tarda in hemodialyzed patients]

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) and similar vesiculobullous disorders have been described to develop frequently in patients with chronic renal failure during long-term hemodialysis. 9 cases of PCT in hemodialyzed patients and 1 case of PCT in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis have been reported in Japan. Since these patients were often anuria, porphyrin analyzed in plasma, feces, and dialysate. Uroporphyrins, coproporphyrins and heptacarboxyric porphyrins in feces, and total porphyrins in plasma increased. The iron overload, aluminum hydroxide, plasticizers exuded from the tubing or other apparatus and some drug administered during dialysis are considered as triggering factors. Hemodialysis employed high-performance-membrane, hemodiafiltration, plasma exchange, were reported as successful treatment.