Iron Overload in Histidine-to-Aspartic Acid Substitution at 63 (H63D) Gene Heterozygous Hereditary Hemochromatosis With Erythrocytosis: A Case Report.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the rare occurrence of clinically significant iron overload in individuals with H63D heterozygous hereditary hemochromatosis and its association with erythrocytosis.
Results Summary
The study found that an asymptomatic H63D heterozygous individual developed iron overload and erythrocytosis, responding well to venesection treatment. It highlights the need to consider HFE gene mutations in idiopathic erythrocytosis cases.
Population
An asymptomatic Sinhalese man with H63D heterozygous hereditary hemochromatosis.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | neutral | hereditary hemochromatosis | Sinhalese man | - | is associated with | #1 |
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | increase | iron overload | Sinhalese man | - | caused | #2 |
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | increase | erythrocytosis | Sinhalese man | - | caused | #3 |
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | increase | ferritin level | Sinhalese man | 1272 ng/ml | resulted in | #4 |
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | increase | transferrin saturation | Sinhalese man | 61% | resulted in | #5 |
H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation | decrease | erythropoietin level | Sinhalese man | suppressed | resulted in | #6 |
venesections | decrease | iron overload and erythrocytosis | Sinhalese man | - | good response | #7 |
HFE mutations | neutral | patients | patients previously diagnosed with 'idiopathic' erythrocytosis | - | detected in | #8 |
Hereditary hemochromatosis occurs due to genetic mutations, namely, cysteine-to-tyrosine substitution at amino acid 282 (C282Y) and histidine-to-aspartic acid substitution at 63 (H63D) mutations. The role of H63D mutation in hemochromatosis is less clear, and its penetrance is low even in homozygotes. Therefore, iron overload in H63D heterozygotes is extremely rare and scarcely reported. We report the case of an asymptomatic Sinhalese man, previously unscreened, who was found to have elevated liver enzymes and hemoglobin in a routine medical check-up. His ferritin was 1272 (ng/ml) (22-322) with a transferrin saturation of 61% (15-50%). MRI of the abdomen for iron content revealed primary early iron deposition in the liver and pancreas with sparing of the spleen. Genetic studies detected H63D heterozygous homeostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene mutation with a normal C282Y gene. In his erythrocytosis workup, his erythropoietin level was suppressed. However, bone marrow biopsy did not reveal morphology suggestive of a clonal disorder, and he was negative for JAK2 V617F mutation, MPL gene, JAK2 exon 12 mutations, and calreticulin gene. He was diagnosed with H63D heterozygous hereditary hemochromatosis with iron overload and erythrocytosis and commenced on venesections as treatment for both conditions, with a good response. This case report highlights the rare possibility of developing clinically significant iron overload in H63D heterozygous hereditary hemochromatosis. Furthermore, several studies have reported the detection of HFE mutations in patients previously diagnosed with 'idiopathic' erythrocytosis. Hence, this case report calls attention to the need to suspect the presence of HFE gene mutations in patients with erythrocytosis with a negative workup for clonal red cell disorders.