Open AccessFatty liver in H63D homozygotes with hyperferritinemia
Author(s) -
Giada Sebastiani,
Daniel F. Wallace,
Susan Davies,
Vasu Kulhalli,
Ann P. Walker,
James Dooley
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i11.1788
Subject(s) - fatty liver , steatosis , liver biopsy , ferritin , medicine , siderosis , transferrin saturation , gastroenterology , population , hemochromatosis , pathology , biopsy , disease , environmental health , serum ferritin
To study the clinical correlates of the H63D mutation we have analysed the phenotype of H63D homo-zygotes identified through mutation analysis in a referral laboratory. A total of 366 blood samples referred for HFE analysis were screened for C282Y and H63D mutations. Four H63D homozygotes were identified. All had raised serum ferritin but normal transferrin saturation. They were negative for hepatitis B and C and only one patient consumed excess alcohol. In all 4 cases ultrasonography revealed fatty liver. In two patients a liver biopsy was done and showed mild siderosis with an unusual distribution and macrovesicular steatosis. These data confirm the association between fatty liver, hyperferritinaemia and increased hepatic iron, but do not clarify whether siderosis was related to steatosis rather than homozygosity for the H63D mutation. Patients with fatty liver may complicate the interpretation of data in population studies of the expression of H63D homozygosity.