Decreased Prohepcidin Levels in Patients with HBV-Related Liver Disease: Relation with Ferritin Levels

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Decreased Prohepcidin Levels in Patients with HBV-Related Liver Disease:

Relation with Ferritin Levels

Journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences

Publisher Springer Netherlands

ISSN 0163-2116 (Print) 1573-2568 (Online)

Category Original Article

DOI 10.1007/s10620-010-1183-8

Subject Collection Medicine

SpringerLink Date Thursday, March 18, 2010

Original Article

Decreased Prohepcidin Levels in Patients with HBV-Related Liver Disease:

Relation with Ferritin Levels

Oya Yonal1 , Filiz Akyuz1, Kadir Demir1, Sevgi Ciftci2, Fahriye Keskin2, Binnur

Pinarbasi1, Ahmet Uyanikoglu1, Halim Issever3, Sadakat Ozdil1, Gungor Boztas1,

Fatih Besisik1, Sabahattin Kaymakoglu1, Yilmaz Cakaloglu1, Zeynel Mungan1 and

Atilla Okten1

(1) Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine,

Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

(2) Department of Microbiology, Istanbul Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul

University, Istanbul, Turkey

(3) Department of Biostatistics, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul

University, Istanbul, Turkey

Received: 26 November 2009 Accepted: 25 February 2010 Published online: 18

March 2010

Abstract

Background

Levels of prohepcidin, a homeostatic regulator of iron absorption, are altered

in chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis. However, data on the potential

alterations of prohepcidin in patients with HBV-related liver disease are

scarce. We investigated whether serum prohepcidin is related to iron overload

and perenchymal dysfuction in HBV-related liver disease.

Methods

Three groups of subjects were studied: 66 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 32

patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and 42 healthy controls without evidence of

liver disease. Serum levels of prohepcidin were determined by enzyme-linked

immunosorbent assay.

Results

Serum prohepcidin levels were significantly lower in patients with HBV-related

cirrhosis (175.85 ± 71.5 ng/ml) than in patients with chronic hepatitis B

(209.02 ± 62.7 ng/ml P < 0.05) and controls (222.4 ± 128.4 ng/ml, P < 0.05).

After adjustment for potential confounders, prohepcidin was found to be an

independent predictor of ferritin levels in multiple linear regression analysis

(β = −1.10, t = −3.11, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that prohepcidin levels are reduced in patients with

HBV-related cirrhosis and are an independent correlate of serum ferritin.

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Oya Yonal

Email: oyayonal@...