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Porphyria
Cutanea Tarda
- 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
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