Last reviewed: 24 Jan 2021
Last updated: 29 Jan 2018
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- presence of risk factors
- fatigue
- weakness
- lethargy
- arthralgias
- hepatomegaly
- diabetes mellitus
- impotence in males
- loss of libido
- skin pigmentation
Other diagnostic factors
- congestive heart failure
- arrhythmias
- porphyria cutanea tarda
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- serum transferrin saturation
- serum ferritin
Investigations to consider
- HFE mutation analysis
- MRI liver
- liver biopsy
- LFTs
- fasting blood sugar
- echocardiogram
- ECG
- testosterone, FSH, and LH assays
- bone densitometry
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Iowa City
IA
Disclosures
KEB declares that she has no competing interests.
Dr Kyle E. Brown would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Rebecca Fischer Connor, the previous contributor to this topic. RFC declares that she has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Professor of Medicine and Chief of Liver Disease Department
University Hospital Pontchaillou
Rennes
France
Disclosures
PB declares that he has no competing interests.
Associate Professor
Department of Family Medicine
University of Wisconsin
Madison
WI
Disclosures
WEC declares that he has no competing interests.
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