PMID- 7503084
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19960118
LR  - 20221207
IS  - 0002-9343 (Print)
IS  - 0002-9343 (Linking)
VI  - 99
IP  - 6
DP  - 1995 Dec
TI  - Iron overload in African Americans.
PG  - 616-23
AB  - PURPOSE: Iron overload unexplained by dietary or medicinal iron excess, 
      transfusion, or sideroblastic anemia has been described infrequently in Americans 
      of African descent. The purpose of this study was to characterize iron overload 
      attributable to excessive iron absorption in African Americans. PATIENTS AND 
      METHODS: In a community hematology and medical oncology practice during the 
      interval 1990 to 1993, we identified and evaluated a series of cases comprised of 
      6 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of 55 +/- 14 (SD) years (range 33 to 69). Data 
      on clinical features, serum iron parameters, liver and body iron stores, 
      evaluations of anemia, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, and family studies 
      were analyzed. RESULTS: Among our patients, the serum iron parameters were: iron 
      concentration 26 +/- 13 mumol/L, transferrin saturation 59 +/- 21%, and ferritin 
      concentration 1,588 +/- 1,053 micrograms/L. Clinical abnormalities observed 
      included weakness and fatigue, decreased libido and impotence, hepatopathy, 
      arthropathy, diabetes mellitus, hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, and 
      hyperpigmentation. Hepatic parenchymal cell iron deposits were increased in each 
      of the 6 patients studied, and Kupffer cell iron deposits were prominent in 4. 
      The occurrence of iron overload was verified by liver iron quantification and 
      therapeutic phlebotomy. Four subjects had alpha-thalassemia minor; 2 others had 
      hemoglobin S and C traits. No proband had HLA-A3 positivity. Four probands had 
      other family members with iron overload. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with 
      Caucasians with hemochromatosis, our patients have slightly lower mean values of 
      serum iron concentration and transferrin saturation, more Kupffer cell iron 
      deposits, a higher incidence of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathy, and infrequent 
      positivity for HLA-A3. Iron overload in African Americans appears to be more 
      similar to that in certain sub-Saharan African natives than to hemochromatosis.
FAU - Barton, J C
AU  - Barton JC
AD  - Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama 35209, USA.
FAU - Edwards, C Q
AU  - Edwards CQ
FAU - Bertoli, L F
AU  - Bertoli LF
FAU - Shroyer, T W
AU  - Shroyer TW
FAU - Hudson, S L
AU  - Hudson SL
LA  - eng
GR  - AM-20630/AM/NIADDK NIH HHS/United States
GR  - RR-00064/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - Am J Med
JT  - The American journal of medicine
JID - 0267200
RN  - 0 (HLA Antigens)
RN  - E1UOL152H7 (Iron)
SB  - IM
CIN - Am J Med. 2004 Apr 1;116(7):501-2. PMID: 15047047
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - *Black People
MH  - Female
MH  - HLA Antigens/blood
MH  - *Hemosiderosis/etiology/genetics/immunology/metabolism/therapy
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunophenotyping
MH  - Iron/blood
MH  - Liver Function Tests
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Treatment Outcome
EDAT- 1995/12/01 00:00
MHDA- 1995/12/01 00:01
CRDT- 1995/12/01 00:00
PHST- 1995/12/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1995/12/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1995/12/01 00:00 [entrez]
AID - S0002934399802484 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/s0002-9343(99)80248-4 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Am J Med. 1995 Dec;99(6):616-23. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9343(99)80248-4.