Transfusion-related chronic liver disease in sickle cell anemia

The medical records and liver biopsies of nine sickle cell patients with chronically elevated liver function tests were retrospectively reviewed to determine the etiology of chronic liver disease. There were eight women and one man with a mean age of 30 yr. All patients had hemoglobin SS. Eight patients were referred for elevated aminotransferases and one for an elevated alkaline phosphatase. Hemosiderosis was present in all of the biopsies. Two patients had cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis was noted in two patients, and five patients had cholestasis. Two patients had serologic markers demonstrating HBV exposure but no patients were HBsAg positive. Erythrophagocytosis, sinusoidal dilatation, and Kupffer cell hyperplasia were present in all of the liver biopsies. Transfusion-related causes were the most common significant pathologic findings in our patients, and appeared to be the etiologies of chronic liver disease in sickle cell patients.