[Acute neuropathy with tetraparesis and respiratory insufficiency in cases of acute intermittent porphyria].

Acute intermittent porphyria is a hereditary disorder resulting from a partial deficiency of the third enzyme in the haeme biosynthetic pathway. Symptoms are due to metabolic effects on the peripheral autonomic and sensomotoric, as well as the central nervous system. We report on the case of a life-threatening acute crisis with tetraplegia and respiratory insufficiency. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.