Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hemochromatosis is associated with iron overload that is responsible of iron deposit causing multiple organ dysfunctions which affects especially endocrine glands.

Methods: We report four cases of pituitary hemochromatosis responsible of endocrine dysfunction.

Results: Three women and one man were included, aged respectively 28, 19, 26 and 35 years old. These patients were suffering from ß-thalassemia and treated with multiple blood transfusions. All patients had delayed puberty with primary amenorrhea and erectile dysfunction. Hormonal screening showed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with all the patients. They were treated with hormonal substitution. Two patients presented inaugural diabetic ketosis and were treated with insulin for the diabetes mellitus. One patient was diagnosed with corticotroph deficiency and was treated with hydrocortisone. Thyrotropic and somatotropic axis were normal with all patients. No cardiac or hepatic dysfunction was found with these patients.

Discussion and conclusion: Secondary hemochromatosis is responsible of multiple endocrine dysfunctions. The most endocrine dysfunction in hemochromatosis is diabetes mellitus and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The other endocrine dysfunctions are rare. Screening for endocrine dysfunction must be systematic and so a regular follow-up for all patients with hemochromatosis.