In dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (DHS), also known as hereditary xerocytosis, red blood cells exhibit altered intracellular cation content and cellular dehydration, resulting in increased erythrocyte mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and decreased erythrocyte osmotic fragility. Blood films show various cell shape abnormalities, the most characteristic being the stomatocyte, with a straight or crescent-shaped central pallor (summary by Rapetti-Mauss et al., 2015). For discussion of clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the stomatocytoses, see DHS1 (194380).

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type I (CDA I) is characterized by moderate-to-severe macrocytic anemia presenting occasionally in utero as severe anemia associated with hydrops fetalis but more commonly in neonates as hepatomegaly, early jaundice, and intrauterine growth restriction. Some individuals present in childhood or adulthood. After the neonatal period, most affected individuals have lifelong moderate anemia, usually accompanied by jaundice and splenomegaly. Secondary hemochromatosis develops with age as a result of increased iron absorption even in those who are not transfused. Distal limb anomalies occur in 4%-14% of affected individuals.