The clinical importance of sérum iron levels in hepatitis B and C patients is not fully known. Sérum iron levels were tested in a total of 473 patients, of whom 74 were HBsAg positive, 207 anti-HCV positive, and 192 were random controls with other liver diseases. Serological markers of HBV and HCV infection were tested by ELISA methods, and a liver biopsy was performed in 57 % of hepatitis B and C patients. Results: Mean sérum iron concentrations were highest in the HCV infected patients (p<0.05 vs. HBV and controls); although these concentrations were not higher than the upper limit of the normál value. Mean sérum ALT and AST activity was significantly higher in chronic hepatitis C patients than in hepatitis B patients (p<0.003, p<0.001 resp.) and in comparison to the controls. In a subgroup of 106 liver cirrhosis patients mean sérum iron levels were significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (p<0.05) and ALT and AST activity was also higher in comparison with controls (p<0.001, p<0.001). Conclusions: Significantly higher sérum iron levels were detected in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C, and although they were below the upper limit of what is considered a normál value, it was an important finding because they were accompanied by significantly higher ALT and AST activity in both groups of hepatitis patients.

        Key words: iron, chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis.