An autosomal dominant inherited disorder of porphyrin metabolism caused by deficiency of the enzyme coproporphyrinogen oxidase. It results in neurologic damage and can include abdominal pain, constipation and psychiatric manifestations.

Hereditary coproporphyria (HCP) is an acute (hepatic) porphyria in which the acute symptoms are neurovisceral and occur in discrete episodes. Attacks typically start in the abdomen with low-grade pain that slowly increases over a period of days (not hours) with nausea progressing to vomiting. In some individuals, the pain is predominantly in the back or extremities. When an acute attack is untreated, a motor neuropathy may develop over a period of days or a few weeks. The neuropathy first appears as weakness proximally in the arms and legs, then progresses distally to involve the hands and feet. Some individuals experience respiratory insufficiency due to loss of innervation of the diaphragm and muscles of respiration. Acute attacks are associated commonly with use of certain medications, caloric deprivation, and changes in female reproductive hormones. About 20% of those with an acute attack also experience photosensitivity associated with bullae and skin fragility.

(coproporphyria, hereditary) An autosomal dominant porphyria that is due to a deficiency of COPROPORPHYRINOGEN OXIDASE in the LIVER, the sixth enzyme in the 8-enzyme biosynthetic pathway of HEME. Clinical features include both neurological symptoms and cutaneous lesions. Patients excrete increased levels of porphyrin precursors, 5-AMINOLEVULINATE and COPROPORPHYRINS.

Hereditary coproporphyria is one of the porphyrias, a group of diseases that involves defects in heme metabolism and that results in excessive secretion of porphyrins and porphyrin precursors. Inheritance is autosomal (usually autosomal dominant, but sometimes autosomal recessive).

Hereditary coproporphyria (HCP) is a rare inherited form of liver (hepatic) porphyria, characterized by neurological symptoms in the form of episodes (acute attacks) of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet (neuropathy). The porphyrias are a group of blood conditions caused by a lack of an...