Effect of venesection on bone mineral density in an eugonadal woman with haemochromatosis.
BACKGROUND
A 41-year-old premenopausal woman with newly diagnosed haemochromatosis was found to have osteopenia on screening bone mineral densitometry.


RESULTS
Liver biopsy showed grade 3 haemochromatosis with an hepatic iron index of 4. Investigation for secondary factors for osteopenia revealed no cause. The patient was clinically and biochemically eugonadal. Following venesection of 8 L blood (4 g iron) over 17 months and calcium supplementation, her bone density rose significantly. Neck of femur bone density increased by 6.0% over 13 months and lumbar vertebral bone density increased by 7.2%. There are no previous reports of response of bone density to venesection in eugonadal patients or in women with haemochromatosis.
Hibbert
E J
EJ
Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Fulcher
G R
GR
Coyle
L
L
Gates
F
F
Clifton-Bligh
P
P
Stiel
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism; D018962:Phlebotomy; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
D013972:Thyrotropin