ARUP's Laboratory Test Directory

Porphyrins and Porphobilinogen (PBG), Urine : 2002181

Mnemonic: PORUFPBGU

Methodology: High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Ion Exchange Chromatography/Quantitative Spectrophotometry
Performed: Sun-Fri
Reported: 2-4 days
Specimen Required: Collect: 24-hour or random urine. Refrigerate 24-hour specimens during collection.

Specimen Preparation: Protect from light. Transfer 8 mL aliquot to an ARUP Amber Transport Tube. (Min: 4 mL) Record total volume and collection time interval on transport tube and test request form.

Storage/Transport Temperature: Frozen.

Unacceptable Conditions: Body fluids other than urine.

Stability (collection to initiation of testing): Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: 4 days; Frozen: 1 month
Reference Interval:
Test Number Components Reference Interval
Uroporphyrin 0-4 µmol/mol crt
Heptacarboxylate Porphyrin 0-2 µmol/mol crt
Coproporphyrin I 0-6 µmol/mol crt
Coproporphyrin III 0-14 µmol/mol crt
Porphobilinogen, Urine 0.0-8.8 µmol/L
Porphobilinogen, Urine (24-hour) 0.0-11.0 µmol/d
0020473Creatinine, 24-Hour Urine
Age Male Female
3-8 years 140-700 mg/d 140-700 mg/d
9-12 years 300-1300 mg/d 300-1300 mg/d
13-17 years 500-2300 mg/d 400-1600 mg/d
18-50 years 1000-2500 mg/d 700-1600 mg/d
51-80 years 800-2100 mg/d 500-1400 mg/d
81 years and older 600-2000 mg/d 400-1300 mg/d

Interpretive Data: Results are normalized to creatinine concentration and reported as a ratio of amounts (micromoles of porphyrin/moles of creatinine).

See Compliance Statement B: www.aruplab.com/CS
Note: Urine porphyrins are useful for the evaluation of cutaneous photosensitivity to exclude porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). Urine porphobilinogen (PBG) is useful for the evaluation of neurologic and/or psychiatric symptoms to exclude acute porphyrias such as acute intermittent porphyria (AIP).
CPT Code(s): 84120; 84110
Cross References: PBG (Porphyrins & Porphobilinogen (PBG), Urine), Porphyrins, Quantitative, 24-Hour Urine (Porphyrins & Porphobilinogen (PBG), Urine), Urine Quantitative (Porphyrins & Porphobilinogen (PBG), Urine)