A Young Bangladeshi Male with Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

Abstract

Abstract:Porpyhria cutanea tarda is an uncommon disease of Bangladesh. Confirmatory diagnosis by biochemical analysis is hardly available here. An Asian, Bangladeshi, 30 year old, normotensive, nondiabetic male, presented with the complaints of frequent development of blisters containing clear fluid over the sun exposed areas of the body. Blisters healed by scarring and pigmentation. The patient also had complaints of photosensitivity, sclerodermatous skin changes and hypertrichosis. Urine examination under Wood's lamp showed coral red color suggesting porphyria cutanea tarda.

Porphyria cutanea tarda - A case report

“…Destabilization of porphyrins followed by sun exposure leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species that clinically presents with characteristic bullae and skin fragility on sunexposed areas such as the dorsal hands, forearms, ears, and face. [5] The bullae in PCT are filled with clear fluid and are formed by sun exposure or minor trauma. The fragile bullae rupture, creating erosions, and shallow ulcers that heal slowly and lead to scarring, milia, and/or altered pigmentation, similar such presentation was noticed in our case.…”