Erythrocyte uroporphyrinogen I synthase activity as an indicator of acute porphyria.

The pre-clinical diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is important because acute attacks can be brought about by drugs, liver toxins, hormonal changes and diet. There also may be no obvious precipitating agent. The discovery that the activity of uroporphyrinogen I synthase (URO-S) activity in the red blood cells of patients with AIP is half that found in normal persons is of great value in diagnosing this disorder and also appears useful in detecting patients with the latent disease who have normal urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen excretion. It also appears to distinguish other types of porphyria from acute intermittent porphyria. It must also be recognized that some red blood cells URO-S determinations will yield indeterminate results; therefore, repeat assays, including examination of kinship, will improve discrimination and confidence in the final diagnosis.