Clinical implications of the presence of refractile particles in the liver of haemodialysis patients.

In a retrospective study we have examined 20 liver specimens from haemodialysis patients with a mean time on treatment of 27 months. Thirteen specimens were biopsies, the remaining came from autopsies. The presence of refractile particles was found in 55 per cent of biopsies and 100 per cent of autopsies. Its presence was not constantly associated with morphological lesions of the liver. We believe that the deposition of this material could be a fortuitous finding with uncertain clinical implications.