Endocrine dysfunction, particularly with Hypogonadism, 
Infertility, Impotence, decreased libido, early menopause, etc.

This section refers to how the endocrine system may be affected by too much iron.  Unfortunately, patients presenting with these problems are not usually checked for iron overload but they SHOULD be!  Click on the title to read more about these problems.

• A 24-year-old patient with decreased libido and erectile dysfunction as initial manifestations of hemochromatosis  Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 2000 Dec 1: In subfertility from an endocrine disorder primary hemochromatosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Only early diagnosis and prompt iron depletion may improve the prognosis of these patients.

• ABC of diseases of liver, pancreas, and biliary system Other causes of parenchymal liver disease 
  BMJ 2001;322:290-292 ( 3 February ) Haemochromatosis is the commonest inherited liver disease in the United Kingdom. It affects about 1 in 200 of the population and is 10 times more common than cystic fibrosis.

• Abnormalities in estrogen, androgen, and insulin metabolism in idiopathic hemochromatosis.  
  Ann N Y Acad Sci 1988  We have concluded that hypogonadism and carbohydrate intolerance are caused by the specific distribution pattern of excess iron in the organism, accompanied by functional impairment of affected parenchymal cells.

• Adult-Onset Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism — A Treatable Form of Male Infertility  NEJM Volume 336:410-415 February 6, 1997  Number 6  Treatment with GnRH reversed the hypogonadism and restored fertility in each of the five men who received long-term therapy.  Conclusions The recognition of adult-onset hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men as a distinct disorder expands the spectrum of GnRH deficiency and identifies a treatable form of male infertility.

• Adult onset idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism may be overdiagnosed  
  BMJ 1998;317:600 ( 29 August ) Letters EDITORTweed and Roland made an important point in their Lesson of the Week on diagnosing adult onset idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism.  We have found that although biochemical testing and cranial imaging are performed routinely to exclude other hypothalamopituitary disorders, serum iron studies are often neglected.

• A history of phlebotomy therapy for hemochromatosis.  Crosby WH. Chapman Cancer Center, Joplin, MO Am J Med Sci 1991 Jan  The earlier the disease is discovered, the less risk of morbidity and mortality. Screening tests (serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum ferritin) are recommended for all blood relatives of index cases of this hereditary disease and for all clinics where complications of hemochromatosis may be treated: liver disorder however mild, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, arthropathies, sterility, impotence, premature menopause, and abnormal pigmentation of the skin.

• Annals of Internal Medicine SUPPLEMENT DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT 
  Diagnosis of Hemochromatosis, Annals of Internal Medicine, 1 December 1998. 129:925-931.Lawrie W. Powell, MD; D. Keith George, MD; Sharon M. McDonnell, MD; and Kris V. Kowdley, MD

• Answers to your questions about hereditary hemochromatosis 
  from The College of American Pathologists (CAP) Dec 18, 2001

• Chronic iron overload and toxicity: clinical chemistry perspective.
  Clin Lab Sci 2001 Summer; This toxicity involves many organs leading to a variety of serious diseases such as liver disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hormonal abnormalities, dysfunctional immune system, etc. The tissue damage associated with iron overload is believed to result primarily from free radical reactions mediated by iron.

• Clinical and molecular aspects of juvenile hemochromatosis in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (Quebec, canada) Blood Cells Mol Dis 2000 Feb   Although the mean age at onset of the first symptoms was 21. 5 years, their mean age at diagnosis was 23.8 years; the diagnosis was particularly delayed among women. Seventy-seven percent of the patients had hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and 69% heart failure and/or cardiac arrhythmias.

• Clinical spectrum and management of haemochromatosis 
  Baillieres Clin Haematol 1994 Dec Further strategies have to evaluate the design of screening programmes in order to diagnose more patients in the precirrhotic and asymptomatic stage.

• Clinico-morphologic characteristics of primary hemochromatosis
   Arkh Patol. 1995 Nov-Dec 12 autopsy cases of primary hemochromatosis were studied

• Current diagnosis: hereditary metabolic diseases of the liver (primary hemochromatosis, Wilson disease] Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax 1996 Nov [article in German]

• Diagnosis and management of hemochromatosis
  by Dr. Anthony Tavill, Director of the Maurice and Sadie Friedman Center For Digestive Diseases and Liver Disorders, Mathile and Morton J. Stone Professor of Digestive Diseases and Liver Disorders at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Professor of Medicine and Nutrition at Case Wetern Reserve University. [Excellent & thorough article of diagnosis & treatment.  This is a pdf file] 

• Diagnosis and treatment of genetic hemochromatosis Rev Prat. 2000 May 1 [Article in French]
  Moirand R, Guillygomarc'h A, Brissot P, Deugnier Y. The disease can be lethal due to liver disease, carcinoma or heart disease, but life expectancy goes to normal if patients are treated before the occurrence of cirrhosis. Treatment relies on regular venesections. Familial screening is essential.

• Dr. Rose's Peripheral Brain--HEMOCHROMATOSIS

• Effects of Iron Overload  Harvard University website  2-1999

• Effects of testosterone and venesection on spinal and peripheral bone mineral in six hypogonadal men with hemochromatosis. J Bone Miner Res. 1991 Jan These data suggest that bone mineral increases in the lumbar spine and in the forearm in hypogonadal men with hemochromatosis treated by testosterone replacement and venesection.

• Endocrine abnormalities in idiopathic haemochromatosis.  Q J Med. 1983 Winter  Impairment of anterior pituitary function occurs in idiopathic haemochromatosis but is selective; gonadotrophin and prolactin deficiencies are common. Clinical hypogonadism is usually hypogonadotrophic in origin.

• Endocrine complications of genetic hemochromatosis
  Acta Clin Belg   1999 Dec  Impairment of anterior pituitary function occurs in idiopathic haemochromatosis but is selective; gonadotrophin and prolactin deficiencies are common.

• Epidemiology, clinical spectrum and prognosis of hemochromatosis,
  abnormality in liver function tests (75%), weakness and lethargy (74%), skin hyperpigmentation (70%), diabetes mellitus (48%), arthralgia (44%), impotence (45% in males), and ECG abnormalities (31%) were the most frequent findings and symptoms at diagnosis.  Adv Exp Med Biol 1994

• FINAL DIAGNOSES:  A case of Hereditary Hemochromatosis with dilated cardiomyopathy, micronodular cirrhosis, history of chronic alcoholism from Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

• Genetic Haemochromatosis:   A guideline on Diagnosis & Therapy compiled on behalf of the Clinical Task Force of the  British Committee for Standards in Haemotology  2/2000 [a pdf file]

• Genetic Health-What Is Hemochromatosis? By Amanda Ewart Toland, PhD  Reviewed by Chris Friedrich, MD, PhD Last updated September 1, 2000

• Haemochromatosis and Diabetes– By Paul Steel.  Paul Steel is a diabetes educator with Manningham Community Health Service in Victoria. He has both a personal and professional interest in haemochromatosis, the most common genetic disorder in Australia, occurring in about one in 300 people.

• Haemochromatosis as an endocrine cause of subfertility. 
  BMJ 1998;316:915-916 ( 21 March ) Clinical review.  Lesson of the week.   Haemochromatosis is well established as a cause of infertility in both men and women, usually because iron deposition in the pituitary or the gonads leads to hypogonadism.  As haemochromatosis is a fairly common disorder it should be considered when subfertility from an endocrine disorder is being investigated.

• Haemochromatosis may present as exercise related joint pains without arthropathy, early treatment improving outcome, Case reports including x-ray pictures of hips, hands, knees. CLINICAL REVIEW Lesson of the week: Ian McCurdie and J David Perry BMJ 1999

• Haemochromatosis presenting with loss of libido and impotence 
  Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1996 Jul  Haemochromatosis may present in different ways according to the organ predominantly affected by iron overload. Presentation with symptoms caused by deficiency of pituitary gonadotrophins is recognized but rarely reported. We present such a case and argue that haemochromatosis may be a more common cause of impotence than is presently realized.

• Hemochromatosis can now be appropriately defined as the presence of two hemochromatosis alleles with or without organ injury, and with or without the presence of iron overload. [I have not been able to retrieve the url to the website from where this came, so if anyone locates it, please let me know!]

• Hemochromatosis: A Common, Rarely Diagnosed Disease
  By Vincent J. Felitti, MD, FACP  Commentary by David Baer, MD, FACP.  Hemochromatosis is the most common, life-threatening genetic disorder in North America, yet most physicians have never personally diagnosed a case: all see an unrecognized case in their offices every two weeks.

• Hemochromatosis and male infertility.  
  Obstet Gynecol. 1998 Oct The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23507, USA. sergio@jones1.evms.edu  BACKGROUND: The clinical association of hemochromatosis and infertility is rare. Hemochromatosis may affect fertility through a variety of mechanisms.

• Hemochromatosis: a review.  Clin J Oncol Nurs 2001 Nov-Dec;5(6):257-60   Dolbey CH. Fletcher Allen Health Care, UHC Campus, Arnold 2, 1 South Prospect Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA. This disorder affects the liver, pancreas, heart, and endocrine systems, and if undetected and untreated, organ damage and death can result.

• Hemochromatosis, A simple genetic trait, Dr. Richard D. Press, Oregon Health Sciences University With the discovery of the causative gene, the disorder stands revealed as America's single most common mendelian disease. Unlike other genetic diseases, it is already curable. Indeed, genetic screening makes it potentially preventable.

• Hemochromatosis, Front Range Gastroenterology Associates, P.C.  
  2030 Mountain View Avenue, Suite 300, Longmont, CO.  Basic statistics on HH.

• Hemochromatosis  Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine The symptoms of hemochromatosis include fatigue, weight loss, weakness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chronic abdominal pain, and impaired sexual performance. The patient may also show symptoms commonly connected with heart failure, diabetes or cirrhosis of the liver. Changes in the pigment of the skin may appear, such as grayness in certain areas, or a tanned or yellow (jaundice) appearance.

• Hemochromatosis: genetics helps to define a multifactorial disease 
  Clin Genet, 54(1):1-9 1998 Jul University of Washington, Seattle 98105 wburke@u.washington.edu  Early detection is desirable, because periodic phlebotomy provides effective treatment for iron overload and may prevent complications of the disorder.

• Hemochromatosis, Cooley Dickinson Hospital Editor: George R Bowers MD CDH Oncology  January 2000 Volume 4: No. 1.   Hemochromatosis is a common, genetically transmitted disease. The diagnosis of hemochromatosis is sometimes difficult and frequently missed. This issue will review the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of this fascinating disease. Ms. Kathy Fleming will review the management of a most troubling complication of therapy---lymphedema. 

• Hemochromatosis: Gastrointestinal Health Hemochromatosis, the most common genetic disease in the United States, results in iron overload and, if left untreated, severe organ damage. 

• Hemochromatosis:  Genetics, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment, "Introduction to Hemochromatosis"  Part I,  by Barton & Edwards.  Except from their book, [a pdf file] This is a large & excellent book covering all areas of hemochromatosis.  Published in 2000, $225.00

• Hemochromatosis:  Life Extension Foundation website.  Disease, Prevention & Treatment 3rd editon.  Dietary & Vitamin recommendations listed here including calcium for blocking of iron absorption.

• Hepatic injury in chronic iron overload. Role of lipid peroxidation.   Chem Biol Interact. 1989 Bacon BR, Britton RS. Excess deposition of iron in the parenchymal tissues of several organs (e.g. liver, heart, pancreas, joints, endocrine glands) results in cell injury and functional insufficiency.

• Hereditary Hemochromatosis 
  CME Activity, Release Date: 2/28/2000 Expiration Date: 2/28/2002 From the February 2000 Issue of Physician Assistant  Objectives: After reading the article, the reader should be able to:
  1. describe the pathophysiology of hereditary hemochromatosis;
  2. recognize the clinical symptoms and signs of hereditary hemochromatosis;
  3. outline screening and evaluation testing; and
  4. provide accurate diagnosis, management, and treatment.

• Hereditary hemochromatosis: diagnosis and treatment in primary care Tenn Med 1999 Nov With early detection and treatment this can be a manageable chronic disease. If undetected, it is potentially fatal.

• Hereditary Hemochromatosis
  FamilyPractice.com  Robert B. Hash, MD, Department of Family Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Ga. [J Am Board Fam Pract Dec. 2000] Considering the prevalence of the disease, it is important for physicians to consider it in the differential diagnosis when patients complain of the common signs and symptoms. For most patients hereditary hemochromatosis can be successfully treated in the physician's office. Early diagnosis and treatment, before signs of iron toxicity, if possible, can result in improved quality and quantity of life for many patients.

• Hereditary hemochromatosis in children, adolescents, and young adults. 
  Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 1988 Spring  Young individuals who should be screened for iron overload include patients with cardiac myopathies, hypogonadism, amenorrhea, loss of libido, diabetes mellitus, other endocrine disorders, cirrhosis of the liver, and arthritis, as well as the siblings, parents, and children of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis or iron loading of unknown cause.

• Hereditary hemochromatosis: Preventing chronic effects of this underdiagnosed disorder
  Sharon M. McDonnell, MD, MPH; David Witte, MD, PhD VOL 102 / NO 6 / DECEMBER 1997 / POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE.  In this article, Drs McDonnell and Witte discuss the diagnosis and management of this underrecognized problem as well as the various issues involved in screening. An illustrative case of hemochromatosis is also included.

• Hereditary Hemochromatosis Since Discovery of the HFE Gene  Clinical Chemistry 2001 [a pdf file] Includes an algorithm for screening and diagnosis of hemochromatosis. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of known mutations in the HFE gene and their phenotypic expression

• HFE gene and hereditary hemochromatosis: a HuGE review. Human Genome Epidemiology
  Am J Epidemiol 2001 Aug 1

• HFE-PROTEIN IN HEREDITARY HEMOCHROMATOSIS Hereditary hemochromatosis is the most common known autosomal recessive disorder in Caucasians

• Homozygosity for hemochromatosis: clinical manifestations.  Ann Intern Med. 1980 Oct; Diagnosis of asymptomatic hemochromatosis is important because organ damage may be prevented by early therapy.

• Hypogonadism and sexual dysfunction in hemochromatosis: the effects of cirrhosis and diabetes.
  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1989 Jul  Sexual dysfunction was a common early complaint in hemochromatosis patients, but these symptoms were frequently overlooked, leading to diagnostic delay.

• Hypogonadism in hemochromatosis: reversal with iron depletion. 
  Ann Intern Med. 1984  Nov  Our findings indicate that in some men with hereditary hemochromatosis and hypogonadism of either testicular or central origin, sexual function and sex hormone concentrations can be restored to normal after iron depletion therapy.

• Hypogonadism in idiopathic hemochromatosis. Endocrine studies. 
  Arch Intern Med. 1981 Mar Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction resulting in impaired gonadotropin secretion appears to be the cause of hypogonadism in hemochromatosis.

• Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in hemochromatosis: recovery of reproductive function after iron depletion  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 65, 585-587, 1987  Thus, recovery of reproductive function, documented by hormone measurements, testicular biopsy, and semen analysis, was complete. We conclude that phlebotomy alone may be adequate treatment for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men with hemochromatosis.

• Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in idiopathic hemochromatosis: evidence for combined hypothalamic and pituitary involvement 
  J Endocrinol Invest 1990 Nov   Hypogonadism is a common finding in idiopathic hemochromatosis. Most studies have localized the defect to either the pituitary gland or the testes.

• Hypophyseal gonadotropin insufficiency in a young woman with idiopathic hemochromatosis 
  Isr J Med Sci 1981   May A 24-year-old women suffering from primary sterility was diagnosed in 1971 as having idiopathic hemochromatosis (IH).

• Idiopathic hemochromatosis in a 45-year-old infertile man.  Andrologia. 1987 Sep-Oct The clinical manifestations of primary or idiopathic hemochromatosis include mainly hepatomegaly, diabetes mellitus, and hypogonadism.

• Idiopathic hemochromatosis in a young female. A case study and review of the syndrome in young people Gastroenterology 1979 Jan;76(1):178-83  The case presented here describes a 26-yr-old woman with problems presenting heart failure, insulin-dependent diabetes, hepatomegaly, and secondary amenorrhea.

• Idiopathic hemochromatosis presenting as amenorrhea and arthritis 
  Am J Med 1987 May A young woman with idiopathic hemochromatosis is described

• Investigating Anaemia and Iron Storage Disease
  Discussion of the different types of anemia, as well as the effects of iron overload.  

• Iron is Hot:  An Update on the Pathophysiology of Hemochromatosis: Blood Journal Sept. 15, 1998  Genetic iron overload disorders are prevalent yet poorly understood. [A pdf file.]

• Iron Loading and Disease Surveillance
  Eugene D. Weinberg   Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana   Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excessive iron in specific tissues and cells (iron loading) promotes development of infection, neoplasia, cardiomyopathy, arthropathy, and various endocrine and possibly neurodegenerative disorders.

• Iron Overload Disease due to Hereditary Hemochromatosis CDC website, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  Early detection and treatment for this genetic condition can lessen morbidity and mortality, and in some cases prevent the onset of disease. Therefore, early detection of hemochromatosis represents a major chronic disease prevention opportunity.

• Iron Overload (Hemosiderosis; Hemochromatosis) The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Section 11. Hematology And Oncology Chapter 128. Hemochromatosis is often diagnosed late in the course of disease after significant tissue injury is present because the clinical symptoms are insidious and the extent of organ involvement varies; thus, the full clinical picture evolves slowly.

• Juvenile idiopathic haemochromatosis: a life-threatening disorder presenting as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.   Hum Genet 1983  We describe here four cases of idiopathic haemochromatosis having onset of symptoms before or around the age of 20 years.  These subjects may have a history of unexplained abdominal pain, present with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and, unless proper treatment is started, die early because of cardiac dysfunction.

• Management of hereditary hemochromatosis. Blood Rev. 1994 Dec Phatak PD, Cappuccio JD. Early diagnosis and institution of phlebotomy treatments will prevent these manifestations and normalize life expectancy. Once organ damage is established many of the manifestations are irreversible. Since the early manifestations of the disease are subtle, a case can be made for routine screening.

• Management of hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis Management Working Group.
  Ann Intern Med. 1998 Dec 1  Barton JC, McDonnell SM, Adams PC, Brissot P, Powell LW, Edwards CQ, Cook JD, Kowdley KV.  The complications of iron overload in hemochromatosis can be avoided by early diagnosis and appropriate management.

• Molecular genetics of hemochromatosis 
  Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 1999 Sep Hemochromatosis is a recessive disorder of iron metabolism characterized by progressive iron loading of parenchymal organs, which accounts for clinical complications such as cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, cardiopathy, endocrine dysfunctions and arthropathy.

• Multiple hormone deficiencies in children with hemochromatosis   Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 76, 357-361, Copyright © 1993 by Endocrine Society.  We conclude that all patients with hemochromatosis need periodic careful endocrine evaluations because the incidence of endocrine dysfunction is substantial and they may benefit from hormonal therapy.

• Osteoporosis in hemochromatosis: iron excess, gonadal deficiency, or other factors? 
  OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence, severity, type and pathogenesis of osteopenia in idiopathic hemochromatosis. Ann Intern Med 1989 Mar 15.

• Osteoporotic fractures: an unusual presentation of haemochromatosis.
  Bone. 1992; The association of haemochromatosis and osteoporosis is well established, but it is unclear whether this is due to iron overload, hypogonadism, liver disease, or diabetes mellitus. We describe a young eugonadal male patient with osteoporotic fractures as a presenting feature of haemochromatosis, suggesting that factors other than hypogonadism contribute to osteoporosis.

• Overview on Iron Overload and Hemochromatosis CDC website, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  Early detection of hemochromatosis is essential because the disease’s potentially serious complications can be prevented by early therapy.

• Pathology Cases for Diagnosis: A 37 year old male is referred to the liver clinic for evaluation of abnormal liver related enzymes.  Includes pictures of biopsy slides. Case 96-19: Liver II Contributed by D. Robert Dufour, M.D., CAPT, MC, USNR-R Date Available: July 22, 1996 - December 31, 1996 

• Pituitary and testicular involvement in primary haemochromatosis.   A case report. J Assoc Physicians India 1992 [no abstract available.]

• Pituitary function in hemochromatosis
  Ugeskr Laeger. 1996 Mar 25 [Article in Danish] Investigation of pituitary function (in first line the gonadotropic and the somatotropic function) in patients with primary or secondary haemochromatosis is recommended on wide indications, in order to initiate relevant substitution therapy.

• Practice guideline development task force of the College of American Pathologists. Hereditary hemochromatosis. Witte DL, Crosby WH, Edwards CQ, Fairbanks VF, Mitros FA. College of American Pathologists Clin Chim Acta 1996 Feb. In view of the high prevalence in the American population (prevalence varies with ethnic background), the low cost of diagnosis and treatment, the efficacy of treatment if begun early, and, on the other hand, high costs and low success rate of late diagnosis and treatment, systematic screening for hemochromatosis is warranted for all persons over the age of 20.

• Preclinical hypogonadism in genetic hemochromatosis in the early stage of the disease: evidence of hypothalamic dysfunction.   J Endocrinol Invest 1992 Jun; We studied endocrine functions at baseline and after TRH and LHRH stimulation in a group of 7 young male patients with genetic hemochromatosis (HE) without liver damage (i.e. fibrosis and cirrhosis).

• Preventing manifestations of hereditary haemochromatosis through population based screening.
  To evaluate the efficacy of identifying presymptomatic hereditary haemochromatosis through population based screening.  J Med Screen 1994 Jan

• Reference centiles for serum ferritin and percentage of transferrin saturation, with application to mutations of the HFE gene Clin Chem 2001 Oct

• Refractory heart failure in a 26-year-old woman with idiopathic hemochromatosis
  Rev Port Cardiol 1994 Oct   It is emphasized that hemochromatosis most be excluded in all patients with a unexplained cardiac failure.

• Renal Transplantation and Evolution of Hemochromatosis:  A Clinical Case Report
  Despite being one of the world's most frequent autosomal recessive diseases, there are very few cases in the literature concerning hereditary hemochromatosis and renal transplantation. [a pdf file]

• Reversibility of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism associated with genetic haemochromatosis.
  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1993 Jun In reviewing the other documented cases of reversal it would appear that the age at diagnosis is critical and there are no proven cases of reversal of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism in men over the age of 40 at the start of venesection therapy.

• Screening for genetic haemochromatosis in blood samples with raised alanine aminotransferase
  Gut 2000;46:707-710 ( May )

• Screening for Iron Overload due to Hereditary Hemochromatosis 
  CDC website, Reyes, Michele, PhD and Muin J. Khoury, MD, PhD,  National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion  Identifying people early with evidence of iron overload represents a major chronic disease prevention opportunity.

• Successful pregnancy following gonadotropin therapy in a young female with juvenile idiopathic hemochromatosis and secondary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism 
  Haematologica 1995 Jul-Aug; Heart failure and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism are the most frequent clinical problems encountered in patients with juvenile idiopathic hemochromatosis.

• Successful treatment of erectile dysfunction and infertility by venesection in a patient with primary haemochromatosis. 
  Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001 Aug. This case underlines the fact that a hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism caused by iron overload can be reversed by a consequent venesection therapy.

• Testosterone Replacement Therapy  MEDLINE Abstracts  
  What's new concerning testosterone replacement therapy in men? Find out in this easy to-navigate collection of recent MEDLINE abstracts compiled by the editors at Medscape Urology.

• Testosterone treatment of men with idiopathic hemochromatosis.  Clin Investig 1992 Jul  Thus, in male patients with IHC and lowered plasma testosterone, treatment with testosterone enanthate may be instituted. Because of the positive effects on general well-being, liver regeneration capacity, and potency, testosterone should especially be administered to younger subjects suffering from IHC.

• The articular damage of hemochromatosis. A little known aspect Recenti Prog Med 1999 Apr The aim of this report is to underline that the patients with premature osteoarthritis or unexplained chondrocalcinosis must be screened for genetic haemochromatosis in order to formulate the correct diagnosis before the development of severe internal organ involvement.

• The case for iron repletion as a promoter in testicular cancer.
  Med Hypotheses. 1998 Aug; Evidence to support this hypothesis includes the following: (a) the iron-related mechanism of drugs used in the treatment of testicular cancer, (b) dietary associations with disease frequency, (c) the similarity of time course between historic increases in testicular cancer incidence and dietary iron availability, and (d) potential genetic associations with hemochromatosis.

• Too much iron can hurt joints, body organs 
  The Albuquerque Tribune. By John Crowe The Associated Press 1/11/00

• Use of HFE Mutation Analysis for Hereditary Hemochromatosis:  The Need for Physician Education in the Translation of Basic Science to Clinical Practice  Manish Kohli, MB, ChB, Steven A. Schichman, MD, PhD, Louis Fink, MD, Clive S. Zent, MB, BCh, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Department of Pathology, John L. McClellan Memorial Veteran's Hospital and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.  Southern Medical Journal

Click on this link to read about HH. Discussion of a liver biopsy is also here: 

Back to the "Munnsters" main Hemochromatosis page