On the basis of this premise and in the light of the finding in a small observational study that HFE gene mutations are very common in precocious bilateral hip OA (100% amongst 8 sequentially collected patients), it is hypothesised that precocious bilateral hip OA is a "form-fruste" of the arthropathy of HH in which HFE gene mutation mediated articular iron deposition in hip joint tissues may be of pivotal pathogenetic importance.