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Noun -
fibrosis of the lung caused by iron dust; occurs among welders and other metal workers.
Problems usually develop once more than 30 g of iron accumulate. Each unit of red cells has 200 mg of iron; normal body stores are 3-4.0 g; daily losses are 1 mg.
African siderosis is a condition of iron overload thought to be associated with a diet high in iron. Some of the iron might be obtained from consumption of a traditional beer drunk by several groups of sub-Saharan Africans. The beer which is low in alcohol is brewed in iron drums. Daily consumption of the beer may lead to ingestion of as much as 45 to 85 milligrams of iron.
Superficial siderosis (SS) of the central nervous system is an uncommon disease characterized by accumulation of hemosiderin in the meninges, brain surface, spinal cord and cranial nerves.
The deposition of hemosiderin, which may be cytotoxic to underlying tissue, results from chronic bleeding into the subarachnoid space.
In many cases, the precise source of bleeding is not identified.
Symptoms of Siderosis
- cardiac failure
- growth failure in children
- endocrine dysfunction - for example, diabetes mellitus
- liver cirrhosis
Cause of Siderosis
Recurrent bleeding on the surface of the brain may cause "superficial siderosis", which is typlified by bilateral sensorineural deafness and cerebellar ataxia with dysarthria and nystagmus (Fishman, 1993). Superficial siderosis can rarely occur as a complication of brachial plexus avulsion (Fearnley et al, 1995).
Superficial siderosis can also cause bilateral vestibular loss (Watanabe, 1997), which can cause ataxia resembling that of a cerebellar disorder. Superficial siderosis is diagnosed through MRI.
Management of Siderosis
- serum ferritin to estimate body iron stores
- desferrioxamine as a chelating agent, with vitamin C to enhance the therapeutic effect
Find more Iron Deficiency and Overload Disorders
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