title: HFE genotypes and dietary heme iron: no evidence of strong gene-nutrient interaction on serum ferritin concentrations in middle-aged women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a disorder characterized by inappropriately high intestinal iron absorption. In populations of Northern European descent, HH is most commonly caused by mutations (C282Y/H63D) in the HFE gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We investigated the effects of dietary heme iron intake and HFE mutations on serum ferritin concentrations in a population-based random sample of 1611 women aged >50 years using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Higher heme iron intake was associated with significantly higher serum ferritin concentrations (P(trend) < 0.001). Also, women with the compound or C282Y homozygous genotype had significantly higher serum ferritin concentrations (geometric mean 115.2 microg/L (95% CI 81.4-162.9 microg/L) than women carrying normal alleles (geometric mean 76.6 microg/L (95% CI 72.5-80.9 microg/L). We observed the highest serum ferritin concentrations among postmenopausal women who are compound heterozygous or C282Y homozygous, and who consume relatively high amounts of heme iron (geometric mean 183.9 microg/L (95% CI 97.2-347.8 microg/L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even when there are currently no clinical signs, women with the compound or C282Y homozygous genotype may still be at risk for developing iron overload sometime after menopause.
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daphne L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: van der A
authors.forename: Petra H M
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Diederick E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Grobbee
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roest
authors.forename: Hieronymus A M
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Voorbij
authors.forename: Yvonne T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: van der Schouw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D005838:Genotype; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary; D005293:Ferritins