Normal Human Iron Storage and Its Relation to Ethanol Consumption

SUMMARY Hepatic storage iron was estimated in 100 subjects who had suffered sudden unexpected death, and in whom post‐mortem examination revealed no abnormality other than cardio‐vascular or cerebro‐vascular disease. Information about previous alcohol consumption and past illnesses was obtained from close relatives who had lived with the subjects before death. There was a significant difference in hepatic iron concentration and total hepatic iron content between subjects with heavy alcohol consumption and subjects with light alcohol consumption. When those subjects with a heavy alcohol consumption were excluded, the range of hepatic iron concentration was reduced to 0·03 to 0·53 mg. per gramme wet weight of liver (mean 0·20±0·02 for males, and 0·14±0·02 for females). This corresponded to a mild degree of hæmosiderin deposition (Grades 0 and 1) in histological preparations stained for iron. It is concluded that the finding of stainable iron in the livers of relatives of patients with idiopathic hæmochromatosis cannot be regarded as positive evidence of the existence of the genetic abnormality unless the iron is present in increased amounts and unless alcoholism has been excluded.