Porphyria Cutanea Tarda:

A blistering disease of the skin affecting light (or sun)-exposed areas. It has been found to be triggered by HCV infection; however, was previously considered to be hereditary. Skin problems may also be related to mixed cryoglobulinemia, though associated with vasculitis (all can be triggered by HCV).

Porphyria cutanea tarda and hepatitis C virus infection Abstract: We studied the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in 20 Japanese patients with sporadic-type porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). Seventeen of the 20 patients (85%) had anti-HCV antibodies. Biochemical remission was observed in nine patients. six of whom still had positive HCV RNA copies. These results suggest that HCV infection is a triggering factor for PCT in Japan. However, continuous HCV infection seems to exert little influence on the maintenance of abnormal porphyrin metabolism, Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed in five of the 17 HCV-positive patients, three of whose PCT was in remission, Four of these patients showed chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis on liver biopsy. PCT patients with HCV infection should be followed up long-term because of the possibility of HCC. To evaluate the risk of HCC, liver biopsy may be required, even when the patient is in biochemical remission. AUTHOR: Tsukazaki N, Watanabe M, Irifune H SOURCE: BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY138: (6) 1015-1017 JUN 1998

Raynaud's Disease

Also known as "Red Hands", Raynaud's is characterized by poor peripheral blood flow to fingers, toes, ears and nose, leading to sudden feelings of coldness in these extremities. Poor blood flow to parts of the brain might also be linked to depression and 'brain fog'. Symptoms include paling of the skin followed by bluish skin, then redness. Also numbness, tingling, burning and often pain. Typically caused by exposure to cold. Often linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Some patients have reported what appears to be a 'systemic' form of Raynaud's where upon receiving a 'chill' from exposure to cool air, the patient's muscles become stiff, shaking occurs, body temperature rises within moments up to 102 degrees on thermometer reading, and is driven to bed (or becomes prostrate). Treatment is to warm the patient with blankets, give warm liquids, ibuprofen or other fever reducers, etc. until the 'attack' is over, which usually occurs from minutes to hours. This, however, could also be linked to cryoglobulinemia.

Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by intermittent blanching and cyanosis of the fingers that is precipitated by cold or emotion. This condition usually involves only a few fingers. The attack can terminate suddenly with throbbing, parethesia and rubor. Several clinical conditions are associated with Raynaud's phenomenon, among them: collagen vascular diseases, occupational exposure, thoracic outlet syndrome. Source: http://server1.onelook.com/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/bware/dofindr.cgi