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Elsevier, Best Practice and Research: Clinical Haematology, 2(18), p. 221-234

DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2004.10.001

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Role of early case detection by screening relatives of patients with HFE-associated hereditary haemochromatosis

Journal article published in 2005 by Lawrie W. Powell, Jeannette L. Dixon, David G. Hewett ORCID
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

Hereditary haemochromatosis is a primary inherited disorder of iron metabolism leading to progressive iron loading of parenchymal cells of the liver and other organs with diverse clinical manifestations, including cirrhosis, diabetes and skin pigmentation. This chapter will focus on HFE-associated hereditary haemochromatosis, which accounts for approximately 90% of cases in Caucasian populations. Penetrance is incomplete, with variable clinical expression. The majority of cases demonstrate biochemical expression, but a much lower proportion develop advanced disease. Clinical disease—especially hepatic fibrosis—is related to the level of body iron stores, which is reflected primarily in the liver. The available evidence indicates that adequate screening and diagnostic strategies ensure that early case detection and treatment occur prior to the development of irreversible end-organ damage. The most cost-effective methods of early case detection are family (cascade) screening and evaluation of potential cases by primary care physicians with a high index of clinical suspicion.