C ASE R EPORT : Effect of venesection on bone mineral density in an eugonadal woman with haemochromatosis

Background : A 41‐year‐old premenopausal woman with newly diagnosed haemochromatosis was found to have osteopenia on screening bone mineral densitometry. Methods and Results : Liver biopsy showed grade 3 haemochromatosis with an hepatic iron index of 4. Investigation for secondary factors for osteop...

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Published inJournal of gastroenterology and hepatology Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 176 - 178
Main Authors Hibbert, EJ, Fulcher, GR, Coyle, L, Gates, F, Clifton‐Bligh, P, Stiel, D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.02.1999
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Summary:Background : A 41‐year‐old premenopausal woman with newly diagnosed haemochromatosis was found to have osteopenia on screening bone mineral densitometry. Methods and Results : Liver biopsy showed grade 3 haemochromatosis with an hepatic iron index of 4. Investigation for secondary factors for osteopenia revealed no cause. The patient was clinically and biochemically eugonadal. Following venesection of 8 L blood (4 g iron) over 17 months and calcium supplementation, her bone density rose significantly. Neck of femur bone density increased by 6.0% over 13 months and lumbar vertebral bone density increased by 7.2%. There are no previous reports of response of bone density to venesection in eugonadal patients or in women with haemochromatosis.
ISSN:0815-9319
1440-1746
DOI:10.1046/j.1440-1746.1999.01833.x