Neonatal hemochromatosis: a case and review of the literature.

Hemochromatosis is a disease in which the inappropriate absorption of iron over 30-40 yr results in tissue iron overload and the development of cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, hypogonadism, arthropathy, and skin pigmentation. We present an infant who died at 2 days of age, and who was found to have massive iron overload in the liver. This case is consistent with a rare condition that has been called neonatal hemochromatosis. This disease is discussed in the context of an overview of iron metabolism and adult hemochromatosis.