Acute intermittent porphyria

Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP) can be a challenging diagnosis to make, due to its rarity in actual practice and presenting symptoms often being attributed to more common conditions. This is particularly the case, since many patients will likely present to acute and general hospitals where the diagnosis may often not be considered. However, it remains pivotal to diagnose the condition as early as possible to prevent significant morbidity and even death. Here we present an unexpected case of AIP, illustrating the diagnostic delay that is commonly seen with the condition and yet emphasise the importance of its detection to commence urgent treatment.