ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Pro-hepcidin and iron metabolism parameters in multi-time blood donors

A high number of blood donations may cause iron depletion. The pathophysiology behind this process may involve hepcidin, a recently discovered peptide that acts by inhibiting iron absorption and promoting iron retention in reticuloendothelial macrophages. The aim of this study was to determine serum pro-hepcidin levels and iron metabolism parameters in multi-time blood donors. The study group consisted of 132 multi-time male blood donors and 25 healthy male volunteers (nondonors). Complete blood cell count and iron status including serum iron, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), erythropoietin and pro-hepcidin (ELISA) were assessed. In blood donors, ferritin level drops markedly in relation to donation frequency (P < 0.001). In contrast, TIBC and UIBC levels increase progressively corresponding to annual donation frequency. Pro-hepcidin concentration increases significantly with the number of donations per year (P = 0.0290). In blood donors having donated blood with the highest frequency per year, pro-hepcidin levels were positively correlated with haemoglobin (R = 0.31, P < 0.05) and negatively with sTfR (R = −0.31, P < 0.05). Pro-hepcidin levels increase in relation to blood donation frequency per year. Longitudinal studies focusing on changes in serum hepcidin levels are required to address the question whether hepcidin may contribute to iron metabolism disturbances in multi-times blood donors.     

血液透析红细胞生成素抵抗患者pro-hepcidin与炎性反应和铁代谢的关系

目的 研究维持性血液透析(MHD)红细胞生成素(EPO)抵抗患者pro-hepcidin与炎性反应和铁代谢的关系.方法 40例MHD患者为研究对象,其中20例EPO低反应和20例EPO正常反应.20例健康体检者为对照组.检测参试者的血红细胞计数(RBC)、血红蛋白(Hb)、网织红细胞计数(Ret)、红细胞比容(Hct)、血清铁蛋白(SF)、转铁蛋白(TF)、血清铁和总铁结合力、转铁蛋白饱和度(TSAT)(TSAT=血清铁/总铁结合力)、血清pro-hepcidin、血清超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP),并比较组间差异.Pearson相关法分析pro-hepcidin的影响因素.ROC曲线预测pro-hepcidin对EPO抵抗的价值.结果 MHD患者SF、血清pro-hepcidin、hs-CRP显著高于健康对照者(P＜0.01),TF显著低于健康对照者(P＜0.05).EPO抵抗患者血清铁蛋白、血清pro-hepcidin、hs-CRP明显高于反应正常的患者(P＜0.01).Pearson相关分析显示MHD EPO抵抗患者血清pro-hepcidin水平与血清铁蛋白(r=0.843,P=0.000)和hs-CRP(r=0.695,P=0.001)呈正相关.预测EPO抵抗的ROC曲线显示,pro-hepcidin、SF、hs-CRP曲线下面积分别为0.713、0.769和0.958.结论 EPO抵抗与炎性反应和铁代谢相关.血清pro-hepcidin、SF、hs-CRP有可能成为EPO抵抗的标志.     

血清pro-hepcidin水平与类风湿性关节炎贫血、疾病活动指标的相关性

目的检测类风湿性关节炎(RA)患者血清中pro-hepcidin水平,探讨其与RA患者贫血、疾病活动度之间的相关性。方法收集50例RA患者为RA患者组,50例健康体检者为健康对照组,RA患者疾病活动度通过疾病活动度积分表28(DAS28)评估。检测受试者的血红蛋白、血清铁、结合铁、铁蛋白、红细胞沉降率(ESR)、C-反应蛋白(ICRP)、类风湿因子滴度和抗环瓜氨酸肽抗体(抗CCP抗体)滴度、血清pro-hepcidin水平,并比较组间差异及进行相关性研究。结果 RA患者组血红蛋白、血清铁显著低于健康对照组,而ESR、CRP类风湿因子、抗CCP抗体、铁蛋白、pro-hepcidin水平显著高于健康对照组(P<0.01),且RA患者活动亚组(DAS28>5.1分)血清中铁蛋白、CRP、ESR、pro-hepcidin水平显著高于不活动亚组(DAS28≤5.1分)(P<0.05)。pro-hepcidin水平和RA疾病活动指标如DAS28、关节肿痛数、ESR和CRP、铁蛋白均呈正相关(r=0.596、0.406、0.502、0.567、0.420,P<0.05,P<0.01)。而血清中pro-hepcidin水平在RA伴和不伴贫血患者中无明显差异。结论 RA患者血清中pro-hepcidin水平可反映疾病活动度,临床上pro-hepcidin有望作为判断RA患者疾病活动度的另一标志。