Acute Intermittent Porphyria in a Kumhar community of Western Rajasthan.
OBJECTIVE
To know the current magnitude of the occurrence of Acute Intermittent Porphyria in Kumhar community of a part of Western Rajasthan.


METHODS
This is a cross sectional study of rural community of Kumhars of Bikaner district of Western Rajasthan. The households of kumhar community were approached. Besides recording other information and examination details, their urine samples were subjected to Watson-Schwartz Test.


RESULTS
1237 subjects out of a total of 2385 kumhar population distributed among 20 randomly selected villages of Bikaner district could be studied. The prevalence of AIP was estimated to be 1.16%. (CI=0.012 +/- 0.0005), showing higher prevalence than the earlier reported studies. The cases exhibited varied symptomatology. Overall preponderance was in favor of females (2:1) and majority of cases (38.9%) were found in the age group of 20-29 years. Average age of manifestation was 24.5 +/- 4.8 years. A follow up was also done to know the disease consequences, if any.


CONCLUSIONS
The study finds higher prevalence of the disease and as such warrants a need for generating awareness among the families of cases in the specific caste group in the study area for early detection and better management of the disease.
Sachdev
R
R
Desert Medicine Research Centre, (Indian Council of Medical Research), New Pali Road, Post Box No. 122, Jodhpur-342 005.
Haldiya
K R
KR
Dixit
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017118:Porphyria, Acute Intermittent / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution