No abstract

Phlebotomy treated HH homozygotes maintain a high and potentially harmful serum NTBI. HH heterozygotes have a higher serum NTBI than normal controls. The reported increased risk of cardiovascular events in heterozygous haemochromatosis may be explained by NTBI-catalyzed LDL peroxidation.

Nontransferrin-bound iron exists in plasma of dialysis patients after infusion of iron saccharate. There was no difference when 100 mg iron was given in 60 min or in 6 min. Before iron infusion, appreciable concentrations of nontransferrin-bound iron could already be detected. The clinical significance is not clear, but the findings may be important since nontransferrin-bound iron can act as a catalytic agent in the formation of hydroxyl radicals, thus potentially inducing cell damage and atherosclerosis.