Phlebotomy treatment in porphyria cutanea tarda combined with beta-thalassaemia.

In 74 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, 11 (14.9%) cases of beta-thalassaemia were found. The incidence of beta-thalassaemia in porphyrics is not greater than in non-porphyrics and it seems that beta-thalassaemia is not a factor triggering the development of porphyria cutanea tarda. The phlebotomy treatment is also a convenient method for porphyria cutanea tarda combined with beta-thalassaemia.