Gender-specific phenotypic expression and screening strategies in C282Y-linked haemochromatosis: a study of 9396 French people.

Most features of C282Y-linked haemochromatosis support the implementation of population screening of the disorder in Caucasians. However, the penetrance of C282Y homozygosity is poorly documented and the strategy for population screening remains debated. Nine thousand three hundred and ninety-six subjects (3367 men, aged 25-40 years, and 6029 women, aged 35-50 years), attending three Health Appraisal Centres, were genotyped and assessed with respect to clinical and biochemical signs of haemochromatosis.