Andrea Lobo, PhD,  science writer—

Andrea Lobo holds a PhD in cell biology/neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She has authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

COVID-19 triggers AIP attack in woman, 31, case report says

COVID-19 triggered an attack of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) in a 31-year-old woman, according to a report in Japan. The woman started having seizures after contracting COVID-19 and was later diagnosed with AIP associated with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), a rare condition marked by brain swelling and…

Givlaari safe, effective for acute hepatic porphyria patients: Study

Givlaari (givosiran) safely led to reductions in porphyria attacks and improved the quality of life of people with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) in Japan in an expanded access program, according to newly shared results. The researchers noted that earlier trial data had “indicated that [Givlaari] may be an important treatment option…

Acute hepatic porphyria prevalence more common in women

Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is more commonly seen in women in Denmark, with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) the the most frequent subtype. That’s according to a recent study that also found that patients with high levels of porphobilinogen, a porphyrin precursor that builds up to toxic levels in AHP…

Teen girl with encephalopathy diagnosed with AIP: Case study

A 15-year-old girl who developed seizures and changes in her mental health status was diagnosed with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) associated with encephalopathy, or changes in brain function, a U.S. study reports. The clinicians noted her initial presentation was confusing with apparently unrelated symptoms. However, the girl did show…

Delayed diagnosis, high healthcare costs in porphyrias EPP, XLP: Study

Multiple testing and specialist appointments are often needed for diagnosing erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and X-linked protoporphyria (XLP), and both conditions are frequently associated with significant healthcare costs. That’s according to a real-world study that analyzed the medical records of EPP and XLP patients in the U.S. The patients waited about…

Episodes of pain lead to AIP diagnosis in teenage girl

A 17-year-old girl was eventually diagnosed with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) after experiencing several episodes of intense abdominal pain, gastrointestinal issues, and seizure-like activity, according to a report in the U.S. “This case highlights the diagnostic complexities and treatment challenges that patients with AIP face when navigating this challenging…

Newborn diagnosed with rare case of ALAD porphyria: Report

A newborn boy with low muscle tone, and breathing and feeding problems during his first days of life was diagnosed with delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) deficiency porphyria after undergoing whole genome sequencing, according to a recent report. This was the third reported case of infantile-onset ALAD deficiency porphyria, an…