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Serum hepcidin levels and iron parameters in children with iron deficiency

Hyoung Soo Choi1, Sang Hoon Song, Jae Hee Lee

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.

The Korean Journal of Hematology
|January 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Serum hepcidin levels can help diagnose iron deficiency (ID) in children. This study found hepcidin levels significantly correlate with iron status, suggesting its potential as a diagnostic indicator.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are prevalent nutritional disorders in children.
  • Hepcidin, a hepatic peptide hormone, is a key regulator of systemic iron metabolism.
  • The diagnostic utility of serum hepcidin levels for ID in pediatric populations requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of serum hepcidin levels in diagnosing iron deficiency in children.
  • To assess the correlation between serum hepcidin and established iron status parameters.
  • To determine the diagnostic accuracy of serum hepcidin for identifying ID in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples from 59 children (aged 5 months to 17 years) were analyzed for hepcidin-25 using ELISA.
  • Participants were categorized into three groups: IDA (N=17), ID (N=18), and controls (N=24) based on hemoglobin and iron parameters.
  • Statistical analyses were performed to compare hepcidin levels and assess diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in serum hepcidin, ferritin, sTfR, transferrin saturation, and hemoglobin were observed across groups (P<0.0001).
  • Serum hepcidin levels were markedly lower in IDA and ID groups compared to controls.
  • Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated serum hepcidin as a useful predictor of ID, with a cutoff of ≤6.895 ng/mL showing 79.2% sensitivity and 82.8% specificity.

Conclusions:

  • Serum hepcidin levels are significantly associated with iron status in children.
  • Hepcidin demonstrates potential as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing iron deficiency in pediatric populations.
  • Further research is warranted to validate these findings and establish definitive cutoff values for clinical application.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenIron deficiencySerum hepcidin

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