Porphyrins Profile

Porphyrins Profile

The Building Blocks of Heme

The Porphyrins Profile measures the level of porphyrins in urine. High levels of porphyrins may indicate porphyria.  Porphyria refers to a group of inherited or acquired diseases that prevent your body from correctly making heme, the precursor to hemoglobin. Elevated urine levels of porphyrins result from inhibition of key enzymatic steps, this can be from genetic deficiencies in heme production enzymes, hepatitis, renal disease, erythroid disease, as well as by heavy metal inhibition of heme enzyme synthesis. Elevated levels of urinary porphyrins have been found in both experimental animals and humans exposed to heavy metals.

Urine
Turnaround Time: 1-2 weeks

Turnaround times are estimates. Detailed order tracking is available in the MosaicDX Portal.

Porphyrins Profile

What Patients Might Benefit from Porphyrins Testing?

There are a number of symptoms and conditions associated with porphyrin abnormalities:

  • Alcoholism
  • Certain Skin Cancers
  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Heavy Metal Poisoning
  • Hepatocellular Carcinoma
  • Liver Disease
  • Muscle Weakness
  • Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, & Constipation
  • Neurological Symptoms
  • Seizures

Details

Why Test Levels of Porphyrins?

The porphyrins profile measures the levels of various porphyrins in a patient’s urine. Porphyrins are a group of natural compounds that play a crucial role in the production of heme, a component of hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood.

The profile includes markers that are intermediates in the heme synthesis pathway. Abnormal levels of these porphyrins can indicate a number of different disorders, including porphyrias, lead poisoning, liver diseases, and certain types of cancers.

Porphyrins testing can help diagnose and monitor the progression of these disorders, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. The results of the test can provide important information for practitioners to make accurate diagnoses and develop personalized treatment plans for their patients.

Learn More About the Porphyrins Profile: Explore FAQs

Analytes

The Porphyrin Profile measures six key markers for a comprehensive assessment of porphyrin levels:

  • Coproporphyrin I and III (CP)
  • Heptacarboxy (7-CP)
  • Hexacarboxy (6-CP)
  • Pentacarboxy (5-CP)
  • Precoproporphyrin (PreCP)
  • Uroporphyrins (UP)

Sample Reports

The Porphyrins test report can provide important information for practitioners to make accurate diagnoses and develop personalized treatment plans for their patients.

 

Test Prep and Instructions

MosaicDX offers patient-friendly sample collection kits that simplify testing. Our kits include visual, step-by-step instructions for test preparation and sample collection, personalized shipping cards, and pediatric collection bags if needed. With MosaicDX, patients can easily collect samples for testing with confidence and accuracy.

The Porphyrins test instructions below is a companion to the urine collection instructions as the Porphyrins test requires an additional component.

Frequently Asked Questions

The ordering process for MosaicDX tests starts with your healthcare practitioner assessing your symptoms and recommending the most appropriate test.

Once a test has been recommended, collection kits can be conveniently ordered and delivered straight to your doorstep. If you already have a collection kit, you can register your test and begin the process at your convenience.

It is important to carefully follow the collection instructions and include all required information about yourself and your specimens when registering your test. When your specimens are collected, you can use the prepaid shipping materials provided in your kit to ship them to MosaicDX. Your results will be accessible online via the MosaicDX portal. We recommend scheduling an appointment with your healthcare practitioner to discuss your results and develop a plan for your healthcare

If you are located outside of the U.S., our customer service team can assist you in finding a distributor in your country. In countries where a distributor is not required, you can place an order through our international patient ordering site. Please note that all international shipping costs must be paid prior to shipping the kit.  

Different states have regulations that define the scope of practice for practitioners. It is the practitioner’s responsibility to abide by these rules. Check with your state board of health to determine any restrictions related to laboratory testing. Please note, Mosaic Diagnostics does not offer testing in New York. 

Once you have opened your account, you have the options of ordering kits to stock in your office or drop-ship kits directly to your patients through your MosaicDX portal.   

Watch our short tutorial videos on how to conveniently  

Already have a kit? Watch this video on how to place an order for your patient using a kit from your inventory.   

To ensure optimal results, it is recommended to ship urine specimens to the laboratory immediately after collection as they start degrading in quality soon after. In case immediate shipping is not possible, here are some guidelines for specimen stability: Urine samples can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and for extended periods in the freezer. This applies to all urine tests performed at MosaicDX, except for the Kryptopyrrole test, for which urine must be frozen immediately and received within 24 hours of collection for accurate results. 

Please refer to your test’s specific Test Preparation and Instructions for more information regarding the potential effects of medications, foods, and supplements on this test. 

You make also consult your healthcare provider prior to making any changes to your medications.

Visit the payment information page for an overview of payment options and procedures along with insurance coverage overview.

NOTE: Insurance coverage for testing is based on several factors such as the type of procedure, diagnosis, and insurance policy guidelines. Patients are encouraged to contact their insurance company to check for coverage and to provide the procedure codes (CPT codes) and diagnostic codes (ICD-10 codes). The CPT codes can be found on the billing information page, while ICD-10 codes are provided by the practitioner.

Mosaic Diagnostics offers written interpretations within test reports and complimentary consultations with our clinical educators for qualified practitioners. To schedule a consultation, simply sign in to your MosaicDX account and book a consultation online. 

We encourage all patients to discuss results with your practitioner.

Our Resources tab also contains educational materials that you may find useful, we also offer MosaicEDGE workshops for qualified practitioners to better understand the fundamentals of lab testing.

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