Abstract
We report our treatment of siblings with hereditary hemochromatosis with diabetes mellitus. Case 1: A 51-year-old man with diabetes mellitus admitted for acute heart failure was confirmed in biopsy of the myocardium to have hemochromatosis. Heart failure adversely affected venesection, treatment. He died four months after admission. His HLA typing was A 24, 52; B 44, 52, w 4. Case 2: A 50 year old woman, the younger sister of case 1, was treated for diabetes mellitus for 6 months. Liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of hemochromatosis. Venesection resulted in increased well-being. Her HLA typing was A 24; B 46, 52. Mutations in HFE genes (C 282 Y/H 63 D) were not seen in either case. We measured serum ferritin in 958 patients with diabetes mellitus, but found no hemochromatosis. In Japanese, most cases of hereditary hemochromatosis have no specific HLA typing or HFE genes. Fewer patients with hemochromatosis are reported in Japanese than in Caucasians. Early venesection is effective. Diagnosis depends on a high degree of suspicion and should be considered as a rare cause of diabetes mellitus. J. Japan Diab. Soc. 46 (3): 235-240, 2003
