A case of hemochromatosis

Abstract

Hemochromatosis is a disorder of iron metabolism leading to irreversible damage to various organs due to progressive tissue iron overload. It is characterized by liver cirrhosis, heart failure, diabetes and skin pigmentation. In laboratory examinations, serum iron, ferritin, and transferrin saturation levels are markedly increased. Histologically, there are numerous cells containing brownish granules particularly around the sweat glands and these granules were positive for iron stain. We report a case of hemochromatosis in a 72-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis and diabetes, which is very rare in Asian populations.