The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast #380 Hemochromatosis with Elliot Tapper
38 snips
Feb 6, 2023 AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Basics of Hemochromatosis
- Hereditary hemochromatosis is an iron overload disorder caused by mutations leading to uncontrolled iron absorption.
- It affects about 1 in 240 Americans homozygous for C282Y mutations, with the highest prevalence in Ireland.
Caution with Testing in Hospital
- Avoid testing for hemochromatosis during acute illness due to unreliable iron studies.
- Focus on clinical history and underlying conditions before ordering iron studies in patients with liver disease.
High Ferritin Indicates Severe Illness
- Extremely elevated ferritin (>10,000) usually indicates severe systemic illnesses, not liver disease.
- Inflammation and severe infection are more common causes of very high ferritin in hospitalized patients.