Improvement of serum aminotransferase levels after phlebotomy in patients with chronic active hepatitis C and excess hepatic iron.
OBJECTIVE
Iron metabolism may be altered in patients with chronic active hepatitis C. In an attempt to evaluate whether excess iron contributes to liver injury, we used phlebotomy for removal of iron from patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
All 10 patients had histochemically detectable iron in the liver and underwent an initial period of weekly or monthly phlebotomy of 200 or 400 ml. A serum ferritin level of 10 ng/ml or less was chosen as the endpoint, and maintenance phlebotomy was performed if the level rebounded.


RESULTS
The treatment reduced mean serum alanine aminotransferase activity from 152 +/- 49 to 55 +/- 32 IU/L; this level became normal in five of the 10 patients. Anti-HCV antibodies could be detected in all patients throughout the study. Histologic abnormalities of the liver were unchanged except for disappearance of iron deposits from seven of the patients studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that iron removal may be beneficial for patients with chronic active hepatitis C and histochemical iron in the liver.
Laboratory for Development of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa, Japan.
H
H
Hayashi
T
T
Takikawa
N
N
Nishimura
M
M
Yano
T
T
Isomura
N
N
Sakamoto
D000328:Adult; D001815:Bloodletting; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood*
D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D000637:Transaminases