Idiopathic familial hemochromatosis: limited disease extent with prolonged survival and arthritis.

Three siblings with idiopathic hemochromatosis are presented. They are remarkable because of the particularly benign disease and absence of typical HLA phenotype in the index case. In only one of the patients is the glucose tolerance disturbed. This case also has an HLA A3 phenotype. A typical hemochromatosis arthropathy is described in two patients. Following venesection a subjective improvement of the arthritis was reported by one patient.