Hematin administration to an adult with lead intoxication

Lead poisoning and acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) may exhibit similar neurologic manifestations, and they have in common elevated excretion of urinary aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Despite their similarities, the possible pathophysiologic connection between AIP and lead poisoning in not known. Because intravenous hematin administration has produced biochemical improvement in AIP, a hematin trial in lead intoxication was of interest with respect to some of the heme metabolism abnormalities observed in the condition. Significant diminution of urinary ALA and coproporphyrin excretion occurred in association with intravenous hematin administration.