[Acute intermittent porphyria: report on 17 patients with 49 attacks (author's transl)]

In 17 patients (15 women, 2 men) with acute intermittent porphyria in the incidence of 23 clinical symptoms during 49 attacks was calculated. The most frequent symptoms in percentage of attacks were: Red colour of the urine 100%, abdominal pain 92%, tachycardia 88%, hypertension 75%, vomiting 54%, peripheral neuropathy 50%. In 35% of acute attacks a transient normochromic, normocytic anemia developed which is probably due to a disturbance of heme synthesis. Oliguria was found in 25%, azotemia in 12.5% of attacks. 4 patients with an average of 5 preceding acute attacks showed a persistent reduction of renal function during the symptom-free interval, in contrast to 12 patients with an average of 1.7 previous attacks and normal renal function. During the observation period from 1960-1974 3 (= 18%) of the 17 patients died.