Bone marrow disturbances of iron utilisation: cytomorphological diagnostic in chronic alcohol abuse

45 consecutive patients with chronic alcohol abuse up to the day before admission were examined to determine to what extent the investigation of bone marrow smears is suitable for recording the abuse of alcohol and for monitoring the abstinence from alcohol. Using Prussian blue staining, disturbance...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inActa haematologica Vol. 76; no. 2-3; p. 141
Main Author Boewer, C
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland 01.01.1986
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Alcoholism - metabolism
Alcoholism - pathology
Bone Marrow - metabolism
Bone Marrow - pathology
Cytoplasmic Granules - metabolism
Female
Humans
Iron - metabolism
Male
Middle Aged
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Summary:45 consecutive patients with chronic alcohol abuse up to the day before admission were examined to determine to what extent the investigation of bone marrow smears is suitable for recording the abuse of alcohol and for monitoring the abstinence from alcohol. Using Prussian blue staining, disturbances of iron utilisation subdivided into four degrees of seriousness were detected in 91% (41 out of 45) of subjects, whereas abnormal vacuolisation of red and/or white precursors occurred in only 38% and megaloblastic marrow in 27% of patients, respectively (p less than 0.005). Abstaining from alcohol caused a significant decrease of sideroachrestic signs (p less than 0.005) within a few days.
ISSN:0001-5792
DOI:10.1159/000206039