Liver in haemoglobin H disease.

There have been no published reports on the liver of patients with haemoglobin H disease. In 11 Chinese patients studied (six male and five female) with haemoglobin H disease hepatic function and histology were studied. Liver function was normal in all cases; however, the gamma globulin level was raised in four cases, the increase being mainly in IgG in all cases and IgA in six cases. Liver histology showed that one case had portal cirrhosis, six cases mild fibrosis, and four cases no fibrosis. Haemosiderosis, mainly in the parenchymal cells of the peripheral lobules, was mild in one case, moderate in four, and severe in the remainder of the cases.