Serum lipoproteins in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda

BACKGROUND: TO know the lipid profile in patients with porphyria cutanea ta rda (PCT), PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum lipoproteins have been studied in 64 males with PCT: 42 with chronic hepatitis C and 22 seronegatives for hepatitis B and C virus, Thirteen patients without porphyria, but with chronic hepatitis C, and 13 healthy subjects were also studied. RESULTS: Patients with chronic hepatitis C, with or without PCT, had a decr ease of total and VLDL cholesterol (TC and VLDLc) and apolipoprotein (apo) B in comparison with healthy controls and seronegative for hepatitis C viru s patients with PCT. CONCLUSIONS: Lipid abnormalities found in PCT are not related with this dis ease, but with the presence of chronic hepatitis C often associated to PCT.