Diagnosis of hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis is an inherited disorder of iron metabolism affecting approximately 1 in 200 to 300 individuals of Northern European descent. Over time, the continued deposition of iron in parenchymal cells of many organs can eventually lead to diabetes mellitus, cardiomyopathy, and hepatic cirrhosis, the last of which is frequently followed by hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the complications of hereditary hemochromatosis can be devastating, its clinical management is simple and effective if the disease is identified early in its progression. In affected individuals, it is important to confirm or exclude the presence of cirrhosis and begin therapy as early as possible. The insidious onset and high prevalence of nonspecific symptoms in the early stages of the disease requires the clinician to have a high index of clinical suspicion for this disease. This is particularly important because treatment before there is permanent organ damage can reverse the iron toxicity and restore life expectancy to normal. Because of its familial occurrence all first-degree relatives of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis should be tested for the disease.