title: Hereditary hemochromatosis, iron, hepcidin, and coronary heart disease.
abstract: Mounting evidence suggests that a state of sustained iron depletion may exert a primary protective action against coronary heart disease. A persistent criticism of the iron hypothesis has been that atherosclerosis may not be a prominent feature of hereditary hemochromatosis. The essence of this criticism is that iron cannot be a significant factor in atherogenesis in those unaffected by inherited iron overload unless an increase in atherosclerosis is observed in hereditary hemochromatosis. However, the emerging details of the physiology of hepcidin, the key hormone in iron recycling, suggest a resolution of the apparent paradox of an important role for iron in atherogenesis in the possible absence of increased plaque burden in most types of hereditary hemochromatosis.
authors.affiliation: Comando Brigata alpina "Julia"/Multinational Land Force, Medical Service, 8 Via S. Agostino, Udine 33100, Italy. Electronic address: lumasci@libero.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mascitelli
authors.affiliation: NCH Physicians Group, 1845 Veterans Park Drive, Suite 110, Naples, FL 34109, USA.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D064451:Hepcidins; D007501:Iron