Bronze diabetes, or hemochromatosis, is a genetic disease caused by excess iron in the body, leading to organ damage and diabetes. It is common but often undiagnosed. Treatment involves phlebotomy to remove excess iron, and early diagnosis is crucial to prevent further complications.
Bronze diabetes is a genetic disease caused by an excess of iron in the body which leads to organ damage including damage to the pancreas which ultimately results in diabetes in the patient. This condition is more formally known as iron overload disease or hemochromatosis, with diabetes seen as a complication of the disease. The genetic variation that causes hemochromatosis is actually extremely common, occurring in about one in 200-300 people, but the condition is much more rarely diagnosed due to reduced awareness.
Patients with this condition start accumulating iron to high levels in their bodies. Over time, iron begins to build up in internal organs such as the liver and pancreas. Damage to the pancreas will cause diabetes if the condition is not diagnosed in time. The skin often acquires a gray to brown tint, explaining the “bronze” in bronze diabetes. Patients may also develop fatigue, joint pain, and a generalized lack of energy.
If hemochromatosis is caught early, it can be treated with phlebotomy sessions over the course of months or years to remove excess iron from the body. Once the patient’s iron storage level is stable and returns to normal levels, periodic phlebotomy sessions will need to be performed to literally get rid of the excess iron. If the hemochromatosis progresses to bronze diabetes, the patient will need more aggressive treatment. In addition to causing diabetes, the condition can also lead to cirrhosis and a number of cancers caused by damage to internal organs.
Research has suggested that many diabetic patients do indeed have hemochromatosis and should be treated for this condition in addition to diabetes. Hemochromatosis-related diabetes can be difficult to treat if the underlying iron storage problem is not addressed, because the patient will develop further complications. Ultimately, a patient with bronze diabetes can die from the damage caused by excess iron in the body.
A doctor can diagnose hemochromatosis by doing a blood test. In a patient with a suspected case of bronze diabetes, the doctor can evaluate the iron storage levels in addition to the patient’s insulin levels. If treatment is provided early enough, it can reverse the progression of diabetes. If the damage is more extensive, the patient may require additional diabetes treatment for this condition and will need to be closely monitored throughout their life for any signs of emerging complications.
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