Congenital erythropoietic porphyria: two case reports

Liver Disorders Caused by Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are a vast array of inherited/congenital disorders, affecting a wide variety of metabolic pathways and/or biochemical processes inside the cells. Although IEMs are usually rare, they can be represented as serious health problems. During the neonatal period, these inherited defects can give rise to almost all key signs of liver malfunction, including jaundice, coagulopathy, hepato- and splenomegaly, ascites, etc. Since the liver is a vital organ with multiple synthetic, metabolic, and excretory functions, IEM-related hepatic dysfunction could seriously be considered life-threatening. In this context, the identification of those hepatic manifestations and their associated characteristics may promote the differential diagnosis of IEMs immediately after birth, making therapeutic strategies more successful in preventing the occurrence of subsequent events. Among all possible liver defects caused by IEMs, cholestatic jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, and liver failure have been shown to be manifested more frequently. Therefore, the current study aims to review substantial IEMs that mostly result in the aforementioned hepatic disorders, relying on clinical principles, especially through the first years of life. In this article, a group of uncommon hepatic manifestations linked to IEMs is also discussed in brief.

Bullous lesions following phototherapy in a newborn

A male infant presented with progressive jaundice immediately after birth. Fecal acholia and choluria associated with extensive bullous skin lesions in his trunk, abdomen, and upper and lower limbs developed during phototherapy. Several diagnostic hypotheses were presented, including neonatal porphyria, hemochromatosis, Alagille syndrome, and neonatal lupus. A 24-hour urine sample for the dosage of urinary porphyrins was collected, showing high results (1823.6µg in 100mL). At 50 days of life, fluorescence spectroscopy using a Wood's lamp revealed simultaneous bright red fluorescence of urine-stained diapers and sample blood. A definitive diagnosis of congenital erythropoietic porphyria was made following identification of a mutation of the uroporphyrinogen synthetases III gene on genetic testing. The patient was subsequently maintained in a low light environment since then, resulting in improvement of the lesions. Congenital erythropoietic porphyria is a disease of the group of porphyrias that presents shortly after birth with blistering occurring in regions exposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light. Atrophic scars, mutilated fingers, and bright red fluorescence of the urine and teeth may also be observed. There is no specific treatment, and prophylaxis comprising a total avoidance of sunlight is generally recommended. A high degree of suspicion is required for diagnosis. An early diagnosis can lead to less damage. Here, we present the case of a newborn with congenital erythropoietic porphyria diagnosed after presenting with bullous lesions secondary to phototherapy.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria with erythrodontia: A case report

BACKGROUND

The causes for intrinsic tooth discoloration can be separated into two categories as systemic and local. Systemic causes are either genetic or drug-induced effects. The development of dentition can also be affected by a number of systemic factors and metabolic diseases such as porphyria. Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), also known as Gunther's disease, is a metabolic disease caused by a transformation in the gene that codifies uroporphyrinogen-3 synthesis, leading to porphyrin aggregation in urine, skin, bone, and dentin.

CASE REPORT

A 21-month-old girl with erythrodontia was referred to Paediatric Dentistry Department in September 2017. A physical examination revealed blisters on her face, nose, hands, and feet. Laboratory findings showed highly elevated urine total uroporphyrin and total coproporphyrin I and III levels. Next-generation sequencing multigene panel testing for porphyria demonstrated a homozygous c.10C>T (p.L4F) mutation in the UROS gene. For curative therapy, the patient was admitted to the allogeneic bone marrow transplantation program.

CONCLUSION

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria most commonly presents in the first few years of life. Manifestations can include reddish-colored urine, skin blistering, scarring, and erythrodontia. A timely diagnosis can prevent undesirable skin findings of the disease and death due to hematological involvement before a curative allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is performed.

Neonatal hemolytic anemia does not always indicate thalassemia: a case report

Background

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that affects heme-porphyrin synthesis. This disorder is due to the genetic defect of uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase. This defect results in the accumulation of high amounts of uroporphyrin I in all tissues, leading to clinical manifestations ranging from mild to severe chronic damage of the skin, cartilage and bone. Hypertrichosis, erythrodontia and reddish-colored urine are often present, as well as hemolytic anemia accompanied by hepatosplenomegaly.

Case presentation

Here, we present a case of a 5-year-old male child of Middle Eastern origin who had been diagnosed as having alpha thalassemia and was undergoing chronic blood transfusions. He later presented with hypopigmented skin lesions and atrophy post-photosensitivity, persistent red-colored urine and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory investigations showed a high level of porphyrin metabolites in his plasma and erythrocytes. As a result, he was diagnosed as having Congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

Conclusion

Here, we diagnose a case of congenital erythropoietic porphyria which was initially missed, although the clinical features were clear (red-colored urine, hepatosplenomegaly and hemolytic anemia were present since birth, and skin manifestations appeared at the age of 22 months after being exposed to sunlight). After a DNA test was performed, the patient was initially diagnosed as having alpha thalassemia. We identified two causes of hemolytic anemia (congenital erythropoietic porphyria and alpha thalassemia) in this patient. The diagnosis of congenital erythropoietic porphyria was missed up until the child turned 5 years old. To our knowledge, this is the first case of hemolytic anemia to be reported with a diagnosis of both congenital erythropoietic porphyria and alpha thalassemia.

The eye and the skin in nonendocrine metabolic disorders

As metabolism is controlled by the input of genes and the environment, metabolic disorders result from some disturbance in the interaction between genes and environmental factors. Many metabolic disorders consist in congenital enzyme deficiencies, also known as "inborn errors of metabolism," that may be disabling or cause severe illness and death and are predominantly inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. The deposit in cells and tissues of storage substances from errors in metabolic processes may produce a wide variety of disorders affecting different organs and functions, with different degrees of severity, and often present around the time of birth or early childhood. Distinctive ocular and skin manifestations accompany many metabolic diseases and may provide clues for their diagnosis and evolution.

A Case of Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria without Hemolysis

Porphyrias are group of disorders caused by deficiency of the enzymes in heme synthetic pathway. Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is an extremely rare disease with mutation in the gene that codes for uroporphyrinogen III synthase leading to accumulation of porphyrin in different tissues and marked cutaneous photosensitivity. Here, we describe a case of CEP with infancy onset blistering, photosensitivity, red colored urine and teeth along with scarring but without any feature of hemolysis.