[Acquired characteristics of porphyria cutanea tarda in patients infected with hepatitis C virus].
BACKGROUND
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is due to a partial defect of hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (URO-D). In the hereditary form, both hepatic and erythrocytic enzymes are altered, whereas in the acquired form, only the hepatic enzyme fails. There is a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with PCT, specially in those without family history of the disease.


OBJECTIVE
To study erythrocytic URO-D activity in order to find out whether hepatitis C virus infection is associated to the acquired form of PCT or unveils an inactive hereditary form.


METHODS
URO-D activity was measured in red blood cells of normal controls, hepatitis C virus carriers without symptoms of PCT and patients with PCT, with and without family history of the disease, with and without anti hepatitis C virus antibodies.


RESULTS
URO-D activity was similar in normal controls, patients with chronic liver disease associated to hepatitis C virus, and in patients with PCT without family history of the disease with and without hepatitis C virus antibodies. URO-D activity was lower in patients with PCT and family history of the disease, with and without hepatitis C virus antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
PCT in patients with hepatitis C virus infection is due to an acquired alteration of hepatic URO-D. Hepatitis C virus does not modify erythrocytic URO-D.
Departamento de Medicina Occidente, Universidad de Chile, Hospital San Juan de Dios, Santiago, Chile. cwolff@machi.med.uchile.cl
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Wolff
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Stella
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Armas
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Parraguez
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Silva
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D000328:Adult; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D014575:Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D014575:Uroporphyrinogen Decarboxylase