title: Porphyria cutanea tarda in a Swedish population: risk factors and complications.
abstract: There are varying reports on the prevalence of risk factors in porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). We reviewed 84 patients with PCT in a restricted uptake area in Gothenburg, Sweden and evaluated different potential risk factors for the disease and complications. Besides a thorough medical history, the patients were investigated with urinary porphyrin analyses, transferrin saturation, ferritin and liver tests. Subsamples of patients were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (n = 68), haemochromatosis gene mutations (n = 58) and with the oral glucose tolerance test (n = 31). We found a prevalence of about 1 patient with PCT in 10 000 inhabitants. Nineteen (23%) patients reported heredity for PCT. Identified risk factors were alcohol abuse (38% of male patients), oestrogen treatment (55% of female patients), anti-hepatitis C virus positivity (29% of male patients), diabetes (17%) or impaired glucose tolerance (45% of tested patients) and haemochromatosis gene mutations (57% of tested patients). All patients positive for anti-hepatitis C virus belonged to the non-hereditary group. During follow-up we observed a high incidence of stroke, no case of hepatocellular carcinoma and a normal life expectancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Ingrid.rossmann-ringdahl@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rossmann-Ringdahl
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000652:urine; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D011166:Porphyrins; D005293:Ferritins