Increased hepatic copper concentration in Indian childhood cirrhosis

19 Indian children with liver disease were studied. 5 in whom a clinical and histological diagnosis of Indian Childhood Cirrhosis was made had massive orcein-staining deposits in liver cells. The hepatic copper content in these 5 cases was strikingly high (1389 microgram/g dry tissue, range 1045--2303) the normal range being 15--55 microgram/g. Of the other 14 cases, only 2 had hepatic copper levels above normal (170 and 262 microgram/g.) This high hepatic copper concentration may be caused by excessive copper ingestion or an abnormality of copper metabolism.