The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by hemochromatosis:
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (E00-E90).
- Diabetes mellitus* (diabetes).
- Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (hypofunction of the gonads).
Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)
- Heart failure (cardiac insufficiency)
- Cardiomyopathy – structural heart disease that leads to limitation of performance.
Liver, gallbladder and bile ducts – pancreas (pancreas) (K70-K77; K80-K87).
- Cirrhosis – liver disease leading to gradual connective tissue remodeling of the liver with impairment of liver function.
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
- Arthritis (inflammation of the joints)
- Arthropathy (joint disease), typically of the finger base joints.
Neoplasms – tumor diseases (C00-D48).
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Further
- Dark skin pigmentation*
* The coincidence of dark skin pigmentation and diabetes mellitus is also known as bronze diabetes.
Prognostic factors
- Steatosis hepatis (fatty liver) is potentially a relevant cofactor for progression (progression) of liver damage in patients with hemochromatosis, especially in patients with concomitant insulin resistance (decreased or abolished action of the hormone insulin) or diabetes mellitus.
