title: Feigning acute intermittent porphyria.
abstract: Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal dominant genetic defect in heme synthesis. Patients with this illness can have episodic life-threatening attacks characterized by abdominal pain, neurological deficits, and psychiatric symptoms. Feigning this illness has not been reported in the English language literature to date. Here, we report on a patient who presented to the hospital with an acute attack of porphyria requesting opiates. Diligent assessment of extensive prior treatment records revealed thirteen negative tests for AIP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 5656 Kelley Street, Houston, TX 77026, USA.
authors.forename: Rania
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elkhatib
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 5656 Kelley Street, Houston, TX 77026, USA.
authors.forename: Modupe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idowu
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
authors.forename: Yasmeen M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jaber
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 5656 Kelley Street, Houston, TX 77026, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Person