A CASE OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT PORPHYRIA THAT COMPLAINED
OF THE CRAMPING   ABDOMINAL PAIN

Doh, Ho Suk; Lee, Chang Hyun; Lee, Sam Beom; Do, Byung Soo

J Korean Soc Emerg Med > Volume 6(2); 1995 > Article

Case Report

Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 1995;6(2): 330-335.

A CASE OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT PORPHYRIA THAT COMPLAINED OF THE CRAMPING ABDOMINAL PAIN

Ho Suk Doh, Chang Hyun Lee, Sam Beom Lee, Byung Soo Do

Department of Emergency Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital

Published online: December 31, 1995.

ABSTRACT

Acute intermittent porphyria(AIP) is a genetic disorder of heme biosynthesis caused by defects in the gene encoding hydroxymethylbilane(HMB) synthase on the long rum of chromosome 11, and is characterized by overproduction, accumulation and excretion of heme precursors. The common symptoms of AIP are neurovisceral symptom and abdominal pain is most common symptom, therefore attacts are often confused with acute abdomen or bowel obstruction. Thus AIP is rare disorder, but when other disease is ruled out, some consideration is needed especially in emergency department. In conclusion, the authors report a case of AIP that complained of the cramping abdominal pain with the review of literatures.

Key words: Acute intermittent porphyria(AIP), HMB synthase