McLaren GD, McLaren CE, Adams PC, Barton JC, Reboussin DM, Gordeuk VR, Acton RT, Harris EL, Speechley MR, Sholinsky P, Dawkins FW, Snively BM, Vogt TM, Eckfeldt JH. Clinical manifestations of hemochromatosis in HFE C282Y homozygotes identified by screening.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2008;
22:923-30. [PMID:
19018338 PMCID:
PMC2661195 DOI:
10.1155/2008/907356]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2008] [Accepted: 07/31/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Patients with hemochromatosis may suffer organ damage from iron overload, often with serious clinical consequences.
OBJECTIVE
To assess prevalences of self-reported symptoms and clinical signs and conditions in persons homozygous for the hemochromatosis gene (HFE) mutation (C282Y) identified by screening.
METHODS
Participants were adults 25 years of age or older enrolled in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study. C282Y homozygotes (n=282) were compared with control participants without the HFE C282Y or H63D alleles (ie, wild type/wild type; n=364).
RESULTS
Previously diagnosed C282Y homozygotes and newly diagnosed homozygotes with elevated serum ferritin levels had higher prevalences of certain symptoms such as chronic fatigue (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.34 to 5.95, and OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.07 to 3.75, respectively), and had more hyperpigmentation on physical examination (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.50 to 15.06, and OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.10 to 12.16, respectively) and swelling or tenderness of the second and third metacarpophalangeal joints (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.37 to 13.03, and OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.17 to 9.49, respectively) than control subjects. Joint stiffness was also more common among newly diagnosed C282Y homozygotes with elevated serum ferritin than among control subjects (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.38 to 5.30). However, the sex- and age-adjusted prevalences of self-reported symptoms and signs of liver disease, heart disease, diabetes and most other major clinical manifestations of hemochromatosis were similar in C282Y homozygotes and control subjects.
CONCLUSIONS
Some symptoms and conditions associated with hemochromatosis were more prevalent among C282Y homozygotes identified by screening than among control subjects, but prevalences of most outcomes were similar in C282Y homozygotes and controls in this primary care-based study.
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