Hemochromatosis: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate hemochromatosis:

Early symptoms (nonspecific complaints).

  • Fatigue
  • Arthralgia (joint pain)

Symptoms (late symptoms)

  • Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
  • Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (hypofunction of the gonads).
  • Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) – structural heart disease that leads to limitation of performance.
  • Liver cirrhosis – irreversible damage to the liver leading to gradual connective tissue remodeling of the liver with limitation of liver function.
  • Arthritis (inflammation of the joints)
  • Dark skin pigmentation (bronze or olive color).
  • Nail symptoms: koilonychia (spoon nails) – nail change with trough-shaped depression and increased brittleness of the nail plate.
  • Hepato-/splenomegaly (liver/spleen enlargement).

Hemochromatosis is usually associated with the triad of liver disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperpigmentation.