Endocrine Abstracts

Patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) but not those with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) have a reported predominance in urine of 5 beta-reduced androgen metabolites over 5 alpha epimers. Steroids of 5 beta- androstane and pregnane types induce delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthase in chick embryos in vitro, so altered 5-reduction may predispose to attacks. We have comprehensively examined urine androgen and cortisol metabolites by gas-liquid chromatography and uri...