Can men have acute porphyria?
Yes. Since the acute porphyrias are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, males and females are equally at risk for having an acute porphyria. Exposure to certain environmental factors, such as drugs, chemicals, and diet, greatly influence whether an individual—males and females–with a mutation in a porphyria-causing gene has symptoms and the severity of symptoms. However, one of the environmental is hormones, and, therefore, attacks are more common in women than in men. Women may experience cyclical acute attacks associated with their menstrual cycle, starting in puberty. Such attacks in women may occur after ovulation and during the last part of the menstrual cycle when progesterone levels are high.
