title: Could attacks of abdominal pain in cases of acute intermittent porphyria be due to intestinal angina?
abstract: Abdominal pain is by far the most serious symptom in attacks of acute intermittent porphyria. Its cause is unknown. This case study suggests visceral ischaemia as a possible cause of the abdominal pain. A 31-year-old woman with recurrent bouts died during an attack; the autopsy revealed a 20-cm necrotic gangrene in the ileum. A protracted intestinal vasospasm could have been the immediate cause of death. It is discussed whether intestinal angina could be the cause of the abdominal pain in acute intermittent porphyria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden. Folke.Lithner@medicin.umu.se
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lithner
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017118:Porphyria, Acute Intermittent / Q000150:complications*