[Treatment of type 1 hereditary haemochromatosis with oral magnesium].
OBJECTIVE
An essential step in the pathogenesis of hereditary hemochromatosis seems to be the increased expression of a duodenal divalent cation transporter (DMT1) responsible for absorption of non-heminic iron2+. The objective of the present study was to ascertain whether the competitive blockade of DMT1 by the administration of high doses of oral Mg2+ reduces iron absorption in patients homozygous for the C282Y mutation.


METHODS
Iron absorption was evaluated by a low dose iron absorption test in 15 patients before and after treatment with oral magnesium (809.6 mg every 8 hours) for two weeks.


RESULTS
We did not observe secondary effects or significant differences in iron absorption before or after magnesium treatment (14.7 micromol/L; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.8-19.6 vs 14.9 micromol/L; 95% CI, 8.5-21.4, P = 0.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with oral magnesium does not reduce iron absorption in homozygous C282Y patients. This treatment can not be used in these subjects.
Altés
Albert
A
Servei de Laboratori, Hospital de l'Esperit Sant. Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, España. aaltes@hes.scs.es
Ruiz
M Angels
MA
Remacha
Angel F
AF
Sardá
Pilar
P
Baiget
Montserrat
M
Sierra
Jordi
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2
D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D007501:Iron; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008274:Magnesium; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2