Iron mobilisation with chelating agents during acute viral hepatitis.

During acute viral hepatitis, disturbances in iron metabolism occur. To obtain more insight into this, DFO and DTPA induced urinary iron excretion was studied during acute viral hepatitis. It was found that liver cell damage enhances iron excretion, in proportion to the extent of liver cell disintegration: a highly significant correlation was shown between the DFO as well as DTPA induced urinary iron excretion, and the SGPT. Also, a correlation existed between sideruria and the serum iron level, as well as with the serum bilirubin concentration, provided the test was performed within 10 days after the onset of the jaundice. It is suggested that during liver cell damage, iron, which is liberated during ferritin catabolism, forming a transit pool within the hepatocyte and/or at the cell membrane, is the immediate source of iron donation to DFO and/or DTPA. The practical importance for interpretation of iron mobilisation tests is pointed out.