Iron overload in patients with haemoglobin H disease

Serum ferritin was measured in 46 Chinese patients with Hb H disease (HbHD) and compared with 84 controls according to age group. Ferritin levels were elevated in 14 of 20 males and 20 of 26 females and the extent of the abnormality increased with age. Splenectomy did not appear to be associated with particularly high levels of serum ferritin in this disease.