T Papsanthis, MD

September 14, 2005

A 62-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with iron deficiency anemia, as demonstrated by low serum iron and ferritin levels and high total iron–binding capacity. He had had this condition for at least the last 5 years and had been treated with ferrous sulfate sporadically. The history coupled with the laboratory findings and the telangiectatic lesions on his lower lip led to a diagnosis of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, or Rendu-Osler-Weber disease.