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Subject: bone density and iron

Effect of venesection on bone mineral density in an eugonadal woman with haemochromatosis.

J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1999 Feb;14(2):176-8 

Hibbert EJ, Fulcher GR, Coyle L, Gates F, Clifton-Bligh P, Stiel D

Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW,
Australia.

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.

PMID: 10029301, UI: 99151759


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