Hemochromatosis

Introduction: Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is genetic disease, affecting around 1-in-200 to 1-in-300, where excessive iron builds up in the body and gradually damages various body organs. Over time it damages the joints (causing arthritis), liver (causing liver disease), heart (causing heart disease), and pancreas (causing diabetes). Because it has no early symptoms, hemochromatosis is often undiagnosed until serious organ damage causes other conditions or symptoms. Even at this stage, hemochromatosis may be overlooked as the underlying cause with a diagnosis of arthritis, liver disease, heart disease or diabetes given. This is unfortunate because hemochromatosis is usually treatable to at least stop and often to reverse the organ damage.

Symptoms of Hemochromatosis

• No early symptoms
• Non-specific symptoms - the initial symptoms are insidious and vague
• Skin color changes
• Bronze skin
• Joint pain - the most common complaint

See full list of 15 symptoms of Hemochromatosis

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Hemochromatosis:

• Fatigue: Related Home Tests:
  • Home Anemia Tests
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
  • Home Calcium Deficiency Tests
  • Home HIV Tests
• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Hemochromatosis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Hemochromatosis

• Iron level blood test
• Transferrin saturation test
• Blood ferritin levels
• Total iron bind capacity (TIBC)
• Serum ferritin

See full list of 13 diagnostic tests for Hemochromatosis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Hemochromatosis?

• Misdiagnosis of Hemochromatosis
• Failure to diagnose Hemochromatosis
• Underlying causes of Hemochromatosis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Hemochromatosis

Misdiagnosis and Hemochromatosis

Unnecessary hysterectomies due to undiagnosed bleeding disorder in women: The bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand's disease is quite common in...read more »

Rare undiagnosed iron disorder causes various severe conditions: The rare "iron overload" disorder, hemochromatosis, can cause a variety of symptoms and result in various severe conditions that mimic several of the big name medical...read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Hemochromatosis

Causes of Hemochromatosis

• Hereditary hemochromatosis
• Vitamin C overuse
• Blood transfusions
• Iron injections
• Iron supplements

Read more about causes of Hemochromatosis

More information about causes of Hemochromatosis:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Hemochromatosis (3 listings)
• Underlying causes of Hemochromatosis
• Hemochromatosis as a complication caused by other conditions
• Hemochromatosis as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Hemochromatosis

Treatments for Hemochromatosis

• Phlebotomy (bloodletting) - similar to donating blood
• Avoid iron supplements
• Avoid vitamin C - because vitamin C increases iron digestion.
• Avoid alcohol - to avoid exacerbating liver damage
• Avoiding high-iron foods - simply eat less iron.

See full list of 9 treatments for Hemochromatosis

Videos for Hemochromatosis

Patient Surveys for Hemochromatosis

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Hemochromatosis
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Hemochromatosis

More about prognosis of Hemochromatosis

Reseach about Hemochromatosis

Visit our research pages for current research about Hemochromatosis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Hemochromatosis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Hemochromatosis include:

• Iron Overload in African Americans - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Study Using Deferiprone Alone or in Combination With Desferrioxamine in Iron Overloaded Transfusion-Dependent Patients - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Deferiprone (L1),Desferrioxamine
• Study With Deferiprone and/or Desferrioxamine in Iron Overloaded Patients - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Deferiprone (L1),Desferrioxamine
• Treatment of Hemochromatosis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Cardiac Function in Patients With Hereditary Hemochromatosis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

See full list of 51 Clinical Trials for Hemochromatosis

Statistics for Hemochromatosis

• Medical statistics for Hemochromatosis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Hemochromatosis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Hemochromatosis
• Society statistics for Hemochromatosis

Types of Hemochromatosis

• Hereditary Hemochromatosis - the genetic form from the HFE gene
• Juvenile hemochromatosis - occurs age 15-30
• Neonatal hemochromatosis - occurs in infants

Read more about Types of Hemochromatosis

Stories from Users Related to Hemochromatosis

• Hemochromatosis
• Hemochromatosis
• Can Iron do that?
• hemochromatosis

Related forums and stories:

• Blood Conditions (92)
  • Anemia - ice chewing
  • small red spots on arms legs back chest
  • Low Platelets, Low white blood count
  • Magnesium Deficiency
  • tingly, heavy arms
  • More user stories
• Heart Conditions (76)
  • heart skips
  • Wolff-Parkinson-White
  • calf aches
  • Wpw
  • Endocarditis from Cellulitis
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Hemochromatosis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis, the most common form of iron overload disease, is an inherited disorder that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. The extra iron builds up in organs and damages them. Without treatment, the disease can cause these organs to fail. (Source: excerpt from Hemochromatosis: NIDDK)

Definitions of Hemochromatosis:

A disorder due to the deposition of hemosiderin in the parenchymal cells, causing tissue damage and dysfunction of the liver, pancreas, heart, and pituitary. Full development of the disease in women is restricted by menstruation, pregnancy, and lower dietary intake of iron. Acquired hemochromatosis may be the result of blood transfusions, excessive dietary iron, or secondary to other disease. Idiopathic or genetic hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder of metabolism associated with a gene tightly linked to the A locus of the HLA complex on chromosome 6. (From Dorland, 27th ed) - (Source - Diseases Database)

Pathology in which iron accumulates in the tissues; characterized by bronzed skin and enlarged liver and diabetes mellitus and abnormalities of the pancreas and the joints - (Source - WordNet 2.1)