The diagnosis and follow-up of porphyria.

This review details an approach to the biochemical diagnosis and follow-up of porphyria. We discuss the problems of diagnosis of both symptomatic patients suspected of porphyria and patients being investigated because of a family history of porphyria. High performance liquid chromatography plays a major role in the investigation of these patients. Molecular biology is emerging as a useful tool in further defining this group of diseases.