Archive

Winter 2001, Vol. 9 No. 4

H.K. Dermatol. Venereol. Bull. (2001) 9, 152-157

Original Article

Porphyria Cutanea Tarda and Systemic Diseases – a Report of 10 Cases and Review

WK Fung

Abstract
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is a metabolic photodermatosis and has been reported in association with a variety of systemic disorders in the West. The clinical characteristics of 10 patients diagnosed to have PCT seen during a 15-year period in four major Dermatology Clinics in Hong Kong were reviewed retrospectively. All 10 patients were type I (sporadic) PCT. Nine patients (90%) were associated with medical diseases. There were five patients with liver-related diseases including hepatitis B, hepatitis C infection and alcoholic cirrhosis; two patients with haematological malignancies including histiocytic lymphoma and myelofibrosis; one patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and one with pulmonary melioidosis. Despite its primarily cutaneous presentation, PCT is often associated with different potentially life-threatening systemic diseases. A review of the literature and evidence supporting a causal association were presented.