[Problems of dental surgical treatment in patients with intermittent acute porphyria]

The acute intermittent porphyria is mainly a porphyrimmetabolism disorder inheritable through autosomes. This disorder is characterized by intermittent abdominal pains, neurological symptoms of central as well as peripheral genesis, and by psychotic syndromes. An acute attack is fatal in many cases. Among others, it can be induced by numerous factors, such as local anesthetics, analgetics and sedatives. Thus, it is important that the dentist is aware of this rare disease should he find himself in a position where treatment of this type of patient is imminent.

Lead poisoning with low blood lead levels

Two cases are reported in which symptomatic lead poisoning coincided with normal haemoglobin concentrations and blood lead levels below 80 μg/100 ml. Urinary coproporphyrins and amino laevulinic acid concentrations were elevated. These latter tests are useful for confirmation of clinical diagnoses and for the screening of industrial lead workers.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria

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Uroporphyrinogen 3 cosynthetase activity in the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)

The activity of uroporphyrinogen III cosynthetase in hemolyzates and tissue extracts from fox squirrels is much less than in similar preparations from gray squirrels. Low activity of this enzyme explains the production of large amounts of uroporphyrin I by the fox squirrel. Members of this species thus provide a small-animal model for studies of congenital erythropoietic porphyria, a hereditary disease of man and cattle which is associated with a similar partial deficiency of uroporphyrinogen III cosynthetase.