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DiseaseQ2025687· pop 37· linked from 600 articles

iron overload

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Also known as hereditary haemochromatosis, iron overload (disorder), obsolete iron overload

human disease

Key facts

Specialty
Hematology , gastroenterology / hepatology

via Wikipedia infobox

Health references

ICD-10
R79.0 — Abnormal level of blood mineral
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (ICD-10-CM · MedlinePlus). Not medical advice.

Research

24,221 papers

via PubMed

~22 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Iron overload is the abnormal and increased accumulation of total iron in the body, leading to organ damage. The primary mechanism of organ damage is oxidative stress, as elevated intracellular iron levels increase free radical formation via the Fenton reaction. Iron overload is often primary (i.e., hereditary haemochromatosis, aceruloplasminemia) but may also be secondary to other causes (i.e., transfusional iron overload). Iron deposition most commonly occurs in the liver, pancreas, skin, heart, and joints.

People with iron overload classically present with the triad of liver cirrhosis, secondary diabetes mellitus, and bronze skin. However, due to earlier detection nowadays, symptoms are often limited to general chronic malaise, arthralgia, and hepatomegaly.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “iron overload” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.