How to diagnose Acute intermittent porphyria ?
How is acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) diagnosed? Diagnosis of AIP is suspected in individuals with otherwise unexplained severe, acute abdominal pain without physical signs. The finding of increased levels of delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG) in urine establishes that one of the acute porphyrias is present. If PBGD is deficient in normal red blod cells, the diagnosis of AIP is established. The diagnosis is confirmed in individuals with a disease-causing mutation in the HMBS gene, the only gene known to be associated with AIP, which encodes the erythrocyte hydroxymethylbilane synthase enzyme. Molecular genetic testing of the HMBS gene detects more than 98% of affected individuals and is available in clinical laboratories. To obtain a list of clinical laboratories offering genetic testing for AIP, click here.