title: Acute intermittent porphyria associated with respiratory failure: a multidisciplinary approach.
abstract: Despite being challenging, delivery of effective nursing care to patients with acute intermittent porphyria is a matter of utmost importance. In this paper, the diversity of symptoms and the difficult diagnosis of this condition are emphasized, and details concerning the treatment of this disorder in the intensive care unit are presented. We believe that acute intermittent porphyria should be borne in mind during performance of differential diagnosis of neurological, psychiatric, and gastroenterological disorders on patients whose routine investigation tests are normal, especially when precipitating factors exist. Intensive care measures and a multidisciplinary team approach are essential.
authors.affiliation: Divisão de Terapia Intensiva, Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mayra Gonçalves
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Menegueti
authors.forename: Alkmim-Teixeira
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Gil Cezar
authors.forename: Karin Aparecida
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Casarini
authors.forename: Kátia Simone
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Muniz Cordeiro
authors.forename: Anibal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basile-Filho
authors.forename: Olindo Assis
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Martins-Filho
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auxiliadora-Martins