Pathology of the Cardiac Conduction System in Hemochromatosis

Abstract

HEMOCHROMATOSIS is a disease of excessive iron storage leading to fibrosis and other tissue damage in many organs of the body. It has long been known that one of the organs frequently involved is the heart and that heart block and atrial arrhythmias are common manifestations of cardiac. involvement.¹ Since the histologic changes due to hemochromatosis are easily recognized this clinicopathological study was undertaken to ascertain if such changes were present in the conduction system of the heart.Five patients with hemochromatosis were studied. Each during life had had either an arrhythmia or heart block. At autopsy each heart was . . .