HFE and chronic hepatitis: Additionally, adults with human homeostatic iron regulator protein (HFE)-associated hereditary hemochromatosis often experience cardiac (dilated cardiomyopathy, pericarditis), hepatic (chronic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis), and endocrine gland (diabetes mellitus, hypoparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism, adrenal insufficiency) complications14.