[Iron overload and arthropathy].

Arthropathy is a major and distinctive manifestation of hemochromatosis, resembling degenerative joint disease with involvement of unusual articular sites, almost identical to the arthropathy in calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals deposition disease (chondrocalcinosis), associated with osteoporosis. Hemochromatosis is the clinical condition of iron overload; it can be genetic or secondary. It is important to know how to diagnose early genetic hemochromatosis since it is a frequent, life-threatening and treatable condition. Early bio-clinical symptoms are weakness, arthralgias and increase of serum tranferrin saturation.