Hereditary coproporphyria is caused by genetic mutations, also known as pathogenic variants. Genetic mutations can be hereditary, when parents pass them down to their children, or they may occur randomly when cells are dividing. Genetic mutations may also result from contracted viruses, environmental factors, such as UV radiation from sunlight exposure, or a combination of any of these. Learn more about genetic diseases from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
If you suspect you may have this disease, you may want to start collecting your family health history. Information such as other family members who have had similar symptoms, when their/your symptoms first appeared, or exposures to any potential disease-causing environmental factors should be discussed with your medical team. This tool from the Surgeon General can help you collect your family health history.
Can This Disease Be Passed Down From Parent to Child?
Yes. It is possible for a biological parent to pass down genetic mutations that cause or increase the chances of getting this disease to their child. This is known as inheritance. Knowing whether other family members have previously had this disease, also known as family health history, can be very important information for your medical team. This tool from the Surgeon General can help you collect your family health history.
There are multiple ways, or patterns, a disease can be inherited depending on the gene(s) involved. Based on GARD's current data, this disease can be inherited in the following pattern(s):
Autosomal Dominant
Autosomal means the gene involved is located on one of the numbered chromosomes. Dominant means that a child only needs to inherit one copy of the mutated gene, from either biological parent, to be affected by the disease.
People affected by an autosomal dominant disease have a 50% chance of passing on the mutated gene to their biological child.
When Do Symptoms of Hereditary coproporphyria Begin?
Symptoms of this disease may start to appear as a Teenager and as an Adult.
The age symptoms may begin to appear differs between diseases. Symptoms may begin in a single age range, or during several age ranges. The symptoms of some diseases may begin at any age. Knowing when symptoms may have appeared can help medical providers find the correct diagnosis.
Prenatal
Before Birth
Newborn
Birth-4 weeks
Infant
1-23 months
Child
2-11 years
Adolescent Selected
12-18 years
Adult Selected
19-65 years
Older Adult
65+ years
Symptoms may start to appear as a Teenager and as an Adult.
Symptoms
The types of symptoms experienced, and their intensity, may vary among people with this disease. Your experience may be different from others. Consult your health care team for more information.
The following describes the symptom(s) associated with this disease along with the corresponding body system(s), description, synonyms, and frequency (Note: Not all possible symptoms may be listed):
Digestive System Digestive System
25 Symptoms
25 Symptoms
25 Symptoms
Body Systems
Symptoms related to this disease may affect different systems of the body. Use the 'Filter and Sort' function to learn more about which body system(s) are affected by this disease and their associated symptom(s).
Medical Term
Description and Synonyms
Frequency
Abdominal pain
An unpleasant sensation characterized by physical discomfort (such as pricking, throbbing, or aching) and perceived to originate in the abdomen.
Synonyms:Abdominal pain; Pain in stomach; Stomach pain
Frequency
Uncommon
Very frequent
Very frequent
Always
Abnormal blistering of the skin
The presence of one or more bullae on the skin, defined as fluid-filled blisters more than 5 mm in diameter with thin walls.
Synonyms:Abnormal blistering of the skin; Blister; Blistering, generalized; Blisters; Skin bullae
A reduction in erythrocytes volume or hemoglobin concentration.
Synonyms:Anaemia; Low number of red blood cells or hemoglobin
Frequency: Not Applicable or Unknown
Frequency
Not Applicable or Unknown
Uncommon
Always
Atypical scarring of skin
Atypically scarred skin .
Synonyms:Atypical scarring; Atypical scarring of skin
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Back pain
An unpleasant sensation characterized by physical discomfort (such as pricking, throbbing, or aching) localized to the back.
Synonyms:Back pain
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Cutaneous photosensitivity
An increased sensitivity of the skin to light. Photosensitivity may result in a rash upon exposure to the sun (which is known as photodermatosis). Photosensitivity can be diagnosed by phototests in which light is shone on small areas of skin.
Synonyms:Photosensitive skin; Photosensitive skin rashes; Photosensitivity; Sensitivity to sunlight; Skin photosensitivity; Sun sensitivity
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Distal muscle weakness
Reduced strength of the musculature of the distal extremities.
Synonyms:Distal limb muscle weakness; Distal limb weakness; Distal muscular weakness; Distal paresis; Muscle weakness, distal; Muscle weakness, distal limbs, due to neuronopathy; Weakness of distal muscles; Weakness of outermost muscles
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Episodic vomiting
Paroxysmal, recurrent episodes of vomiting.
Synonyms:Episodic vomiting
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Extension of hair growth on temples to lateral eyebrow
A pattern of hair growth in which there is hair extending from the temples to the lateral eyebrows.
Synonyms:Unusual hairline with hair growth on temples extending to lateral eyebrow
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Facial hirsutism
Excess facial hair.
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Fragile skin
Skin that splits easily with minimal injury.
Synonyms:Fragile skin; Skin fragility
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Hepatocellular carcinoma
A kind of neoplasm of the liver that originates in hepatocytes and presents macroscopically as a soft and hemorrhagic tan mass in the liver.
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Limb pain
Chronic pain in the limbs with no clear focal etiology.
Synonyms:Limb pain
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Long hairs growing from helix of pinna
Synonyms:Long hairs growing from helix of ear
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Motor polyneuropathy
Synonyms:Peripheral motor neuropathy
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Nausea
A sensation of unease in the stomach together with an urge to vomit.
Synonyms:Nausea
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Nephropathy
A nonspecific term referring to disease or damage of the kidneys.
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Proximal muscle weakness in lower limbs
A lack of strength of the proximal muscles of the legs.
Synonyms:Muscle weakness, proximal, lower limbs
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Proximal muscle weakness in upper limbs
A lack of strength of the proximal muscles of the arms.
Frequency
Uncommon
Frequent
Frequent
Always
Psychosis
A condition characterized by changes of personality and thought patterns often accompanied by hallucinations and delusional beliefs.
Synonyms:Psychosis
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Respiratory insufficiency
Synonyms:Respiratory impairment
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Seizure
A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterised by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Synonyms:Epileptic seizure; Seizures
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Small intestinal dysmotility
Abnormal small intestinal contractions, such as spasms and intestinal paralysis related to the loss of the ability of the gut to coordinate muscular activity because of endogenous or exogenous causes.
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Tachycardia
A rapid heartrate that exceeds the range of the normal resting heartrate for age.
Synonyms:Fast heart rate; Heart racing; Racing heart
Frequency
Uncommon
Occasional
Occasional
Always
Diagnostic Journey
On average, it takes more than six years to receive an accurate rare disease diagnosis. Many primary care providers (PCPs) may not be familiar with rare diseases, and you may need to see multiple specialists to reach the correct diagnosis. However, advocating for yourself with your healthcare team may help speed your time to diagnosis. To combat common challenges, be prepared:
Find disease-specific information to discuss with your healthcare providers.
Ask for diagnostic tests.
Request referrals to specialists.
Knowing where to start your diagnostic journey and how to navigate the next steps are critical to speeding your time to diagnosis
Your Diagnostic Team
How can a diagnostic team help?
Establishing care with a dedicated primary care provider (PCP) is an important early step in your rare disease journey. A PCP can help improve care and shorten the time to diagnosis by providing referrals to the appropriate specialists. These specialists, with advanced training in different body systems or types of diseases, can offer the specialized diagnostic procedures you need.
Diagnostic teams for Hereditary coproporphyria may include:
Multidisciplinary Care Centers
Is it time to find a multidisciplinary care center?
If you've visited your PCP, met with specialists, and undergone the recommended tests, but still do not have a confirmed diagnosis, it may be time to visit a multidisciplinary care center. Multidisciplinary care centers are usually teaching, university, or research hospitals that have teams of medical experts and specialists working together in the same location. This means a wide range of diagnostic tests and clinical knowledge are available at one facility, which can help increase communication and collaboration among your care team. The additional resources often available at multidisciplinary centers may help speed the time to diagnosis for rare diseases.
Is it time to find a multidisciplinary care center?
If you've visited your PCP, met with specialists, and undergone the recommended tests, but still do not have a confirmed diagnosis, it may be time to visit a multidisciplinary care center. Multidisciplinary care centers are usually teaching, university, or research hospitals that have teams of medical experts and specialists working together in the same location. This means a wide range of diagnostic tests and clinical knowledge are available at one facility, which can help increase communication and collaboration among your care team. The additional resources often available at multidisciplinary centers may help speed the time to diagnosis for rare diseases.
If a diagnosis remains unknown despite extensive efforts by your PCP and specialists, it can be challenging to know what kind of expert you may need or where to find one. A rare disease expert is a care provider that has knowledge or training on specific disease(s), but there may only be a few experts in your state, region, or country. Rare disease experts may work at large research or teaching hospitals. In complex cases, coordinating with a network of experts can help your care provider find the right diagnosis. Contact a GARD Information Specialist for help finding an expert.
You can ask your care providers for help finding an expert or use directory tools to search for experts near you. The following organization(s) may maintain a list of experts or expert centers for people living with Hereditary coproporphyria:
If a diagnosis remains unknown despite extensive efforts by your PCP and specialists, it can be challenging to know what kind of expert you may need or where to find one. A rare disease expert is a care provider that has knowledge or training on specific disease(s), but there may only be a few experts in your state, region, or country. Rare disease experts may work at large research or teaching hospitals. In complex cases, coordinating with a network of experts can help your care provider find the right diagnosis. Contact a GARD Information Specialist for help finding an expert.
You can ask your care providers for help finding an expert or use directory tools to search for experts near you. The following organization(s) may maintain a list of experts or expert centers for people living with Hereditary coproporphyria:
Patient organizations can help patients and families connect. They build public awareness of the disease and are a driving force behind research to improve patients' lives. They may offer online and in-person resources to help people live well with their disease. Many collaborate with medical experts and researchers.
Services of patient organizations differ, but may include:
Ways to connect to others and share personal stories
Easy-to-read information
Up-to-date treatment and research information
Patient registries
Lists of specialists or specialty centers
Financial aid and travel resources
Please note: GARD provides organizations for informational purposes only and not as an endorsement of their services. Please contact an organization directly if you have questions about the information or resources it provides.
Clinical studies are part of clinical research and play an important role in medical advances, including for rare diseases. Through clinical studies, researchers may ultimately uncover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose, and understand human diseases.
What Are Clinical Studies?
Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:
Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.
To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.
What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?
ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.
Join the All of Us Research Program!
The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.
What Are Clinical Studies?
Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:
Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.
To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.
To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.
Read More
Read Less
What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?
ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.
Join the All of Us Research Program!
The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.
ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies.
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.
Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies.
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.
Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
GARD collects data from a variety of sources to populate its website and provide accurate and reliable information on rare diseases.
GARD uses data collected from Orphanet and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) to interpret and provide information on rare diseases. This includes names, synonyms, genes, symptom frequency, population estimates and more.
Orphanet is an online database of rare diseases and orphan drugs that provides aggregated data coordinated by INSERM-US14 in Paris.