Pathogenesis of acute encephalopathy in acute hepatic porphyria

Acute encephalopathy (AE) can be a manifestation of an acute porphyric attack. Clinical data were studied in 32 patients during AE with or without polyneuropathy (PNP) together with 12 subjects with PNP but no AE, and 17 with dysautonomia solely. Brain neuroimaging was done in 20 attacks during AE, and PEPT2 polymorphisms were studied in 56 subjects, 24 with AE. AE manifested as a triad of seizures, confusion and/or blurred vision. Symptoms lasting 1–5 days manifested 3–19 days from the onset of an attack. 55% of these patients had acute PNP independent of AE. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was detected in 42% of the attacks. These patients were severely affected and hyponatremic (88%). Reversible segmental vasoconstriction was rare. There was no statistical difference in hypertension or urinary excretion of porphyrin precursors among the patients with or without AE. In 94% of the attacks with AE, liver transaminases were elevated significantly (1.5 to fivefold, P = 0.034) compared to a normal level in 87% of the attacks with dysautonomia, or in 25% of patients with PNP solely. PEPT2*2/2 haplotype was less common among patients with AE than without (8.3% vs. 25.8%, P = 0.159) and in patients with PNP than without (9.5% vs. 22.9%, P = 0.207), suggesting a minor role, if any, in acute neurotoxicity. In contrast, PEPT2*2/2 haplotype was commoner among patients with chronic kidney disease (P = 0.192). Acute endothelial dysfunction in porphyric encephalopathy could be explained by a combination of abrupt hypertension, SIADH, and acute metabolic and inflammatory factors of hepatic origin.