Hemodialysis-associated pseudoporphyria resistant to N-acetylcysteine

We report a 33-year-old female patient who had hemodialysis-associated pseudo-porphyria which did not respond to treatment with oral N-acetylcysteine. She responded favorably to treatment with the anti-malarial drug, chloroquine. The case is being reported to highlight the difficulty in interpreting the urinary porphyrin assays in patients on hemodialysis. Additionally, the current literature on pseudoporphyria disorders in patients with end-stage renal disease is briefly discussed.