IRON STORES IN ALCOHOL ABUSERS

Abstract

Abstract. Storage iron has been examined in aspiration liver biopsy specimens obtained from 41 alcohol abusers without cirrhosis of the liver and from 20 hematologically normal males with gall bladder disease who were otherwise healthy. No one had a history of hemorrhage or iron medication. Only male subjects were examined. The alcoholics consumed mainly distilled alcoholic beverages. Histochemical iron was estimated in parenchymal cells and in Kupffer cells and graded 0 to 4+. Stainable iron in parenchymal cells of grade 1+ or more was present in 15 of the 20 controls (75%) and in 25 of the 41 alcohol abusers (61%). In Kupffer cells stainable iron was present in three of the controls (15%) and in 15 of the alcohol abusers (37%). Two alcohol abusers had stainable iron in the Kupffer cells but not in the parenchymal cells. Thus, stainable iron of grade 1+ or more in either parenchymal cells or Kupffer cells was present in 27 of the 41 alcoholics (67%). In 37 alcoholics and in 20 controls non‐hemin iron in the liver was determined chemically. The mean non‐hemin iron concentration related to dry weight was significantly lower in the alcohol abusers (68.3±5.8 mg per 100 g dry weight) as compared with the controls (104.4±11.2 mg). With protein as reference the mean iron concentration in the liver was lower in the alcohol abusers (148.4±11.5 mg/100 g protein) as compared with the controls (185.7±20.6). The difference was, however, not significant. No alcoholic had a non‐hemin iron concentration above the range of the controls. Thus, the present study did not reveal increased iron stores in alcohol abusers. The results rather indicated diminished iron stores in alcohol abusers as compared with controls.