Any circulating porphyrin the body doesn't use is excreted in urine and stool. When the body produces and excretes too much porphyrin, as happens with porphyria, not enough heme remains to keep a person healthy. Porphyria affects either the nervous system or the skin. When porphyria affects the skin, blisters, itching, swelling, and sensitivity to the sun can result. Porphyria is an inherited condition.
Porphyria is diagnosed through tests on blood, urine, and stool.
CHID is a database produced by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health information and health education resources. To obtain this information you may view the results of the automatic search on Porphyria. Or, if you wish to perform your own search of the database, you may access the CHID Online web site and search CHID yourself. Established in 1980, the clearinghouse provides information about digestive diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public.