[Successful treatment of haemodialysis-related porphyria cutanea tarda with deferoxamine].
BACKGROUND
End-stage renal failure and long-term hemodialysis treatment promote porphyria cutanea tarda. Iron overload is often associated with this disease and is thought to play a role in its pathogenesis. We report a case of hemodialysis related-porphyria cutanea tarda improved by deferoxamine.


METHODS
A 45-year-old man, with end-stage renal failure and who had received hemodialysis treatment since 1993, presented a several months-history of blisters of the face and the dorsum of the hands. Laboratory analysis showed: hemoglobin 10 g/dl; a moderate hepatic cytolysis; ferritin 195 ng/l. HIV, HBV, HCV serologies were negative. Porphyries analyses showed a porphyria cutanea tarda pattern. The cutaneous histology was non specific; direct immunofluorescence was negative. The patient received deferoxamine (40 mg/kg intravenously every week for 6 weeks) which led to dramatic improvement of the symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Several treatments are proposed in the management of dialysis-related porphyria cutanea tarda. This case confirms that deferoxamine can induce rapid and prolonged remission.
Pitche
P
P
Service de Dermatologie, CHU Henri Mondor, 51, avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94010 Créteil.
Corrin
E
E
Wolkenstein
P
P
Revuz
J
J
Bagot
M
M
D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012074:Remission Induction; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D003676:Deferoxamine