Redox homeostasis and element status of of the porphyria cutanea tarda patients with diabetes mellitus and alcoholism

Introduction: Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is a disorder of heme biosynthesis resulting from a decreased activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (URO-D) enzyme. Other factors may contribute to the inhibition of URO-D: alcohol (alc), diabetes mellitus (DM), hepatitis C infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of redox-homeostasis and element status in PCT-, PCT-alc., and 2nd type DM, alc.,-PCT patients.

Methods: 22 PCT male patients of Caucasian origin [10 PCT- (age: 61.60±12.93), 6 alc. PCT- (age: 56.66±5.27) and 6 DM, alc.,-PCT patients (age: 64.05±13.17)], and 6 healthy volunteers (age: 52.06±4.50) were investigated. Routine laboratory parameters, elements in blood and redox parameters in plasma and erythrocytes were determined.

Results and discussion: Concentrations of Al, B, Mg, Zn, and S in total blood were decreased significantly (p<0.050) in PCT-, alc. PCT- and alc., DM-PCT patients compared those with control. Significant positive correlations were found between concentrations of Zn-Ba, K-P, K-S, Ba-Tg, Zn-Tg in the PCT group, of K-S, Mg-Zn in alc. PCT group, and of Na-Fe, P-Ba, Na-K, Ba-HbA1C, Ba-Ferritin, Ba-CRP, P-Glucose, P-Transferrin, P-CRP, P-AST, Mg-ALT in alc., DM-PCT group, whereas of K-Fe, Ca-Cu, Mg-Cu, Al-Mn, Na-Mg, Zn-P in control. The significantly low concentration of essential Mg, S and Zn in the total blood and low H-donating ability, reducing power as well as total scavenger capacity of plasma may contribute to the cutaneous reaction, skin fragility, blisters on area exposed to sun in PCT.

This work was supported by ETT 002/2003.