Transient Stomatocytosis with Hemolysis: A Previously Unrecognized Complication of Alcoholism

Four alcoholic patients developed hemolysis of varying severity. Both hemolysis and stomatocytosis appeared to be directly related to alcohol abuse, and both gradually disappeared while the patients were under hospital supervision. At least one of these patients seemed to have an intracorpuscular red cell defect. A survey indicated that peripheral smears from a minority of acute alcoholics contain an excess number of stomatocytes. This is the first description of transient stomatocytosis associated with acute alcoholism.