Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2025
Author Spotlight: Exploring the Relationship Between Lipotoxicity and HFpEF
Published on: March 29, 2024
Hepcidin, incident heart failure, and cardiac dysfunction in older adults: the ARIC study
Iman A F Aboelsaad1, Brian L Claggett2, Victoria Arthur3
1Department of Pharmacy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston MA 02115, USA.
Insights
Lower hepcidin levels, a marker of iron metabolism, are linked to increased heart failure risk in older adults. This highlights the importance of monitoring iron status, even without anemia, for cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Iron Metabolism
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Hepcidin is a key regulator of iron homeostasis.
- Iron metabolism dysregulation is implicated in various cardiovascular conditions.
- The role of hepcidin in incident heart failure (HF) and cardiac dysfunction in older adults requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between plasma hepcidin levels and the risk of incident heart failure (HF) in older adults.
- To examine the relationship between hepcidin levels and cardiac dysfunction, including HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
- To explore the cross-sectional association of hepcidin with echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, including older adults without prevalent anemia or HF at Visit 5.
- Employed multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess associations between plasma hepcidin and incident HF (overall, HFpEF, HFrEF).
- Applied multivariable linear regression models to evaluate cross-sectional associations of hepcidin with echocardiographic parameters.
Main Results:
- Lower plasma hepcidin levels were significantly associated with a higher risk of overall incident HF (HR per 50% lower hepcidin: 1.15; P=0.003) and incident HFpEF (HR: 1.25; P=0.001).
- No significant association was found between hepcidin levels and the risk of incident HFrEF (HR: 1.08; P=0.30).
- Lower hepcidin levels correlated with adverse echocardiographic findings, including higher E wave, E/e' ratio, left atrial volume index, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure.
Conclusions:
- In community-dwelling older adults without anemia, reduced plasma hepcidin levels are associated with an increased risk of developing heart failure, particularly HFpEF.
- Lower hepcidin levels are also linked to indicators of diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling.
- These findings underscore the clinical significance of monitoring iron metabolism dysregulation in older adults for predicting and potentially preventing heart failure.
Aims:
Hepcidin regulates plasma and tissue iron levels. We studied the association of hepcidin levels with the risk of incident heart failure (HF) and cardiac dysfunction in older adults.
Methods And Results:
We included adults from the ongoing, longitudinal Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, who were free from prevalent anaemia and HF at Visit 5 (2011-13) and had available hepcidin and covariate data. Associations of plasma hepcidin levels with overall adjudicated incident HF, HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) were assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Cross-sectional associations of hepcidin with echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function were estimated using multivariable linear regression models. The mean age was 75 ± 5 years old, and 56% were women. In fully adjusted models, lower hepcidin levels were associated with a higher risk of overall incident HF [hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI) per 50% lower hepcidin]: 1.15 [1.05-1.26]; P = 0.003] and HFpEF [HR (95% CI): 1.25 (1.10-1.42); P = 0.001]. Plasma hepcidin level was not significantly associated with the risk of incident HFrEF [HR (95% CI): 1.08 (0.94-1.24); P = 0.30]. Lower hepcidin levels were associated with higher E wave (P = 0.046), higher E/e' ratio (P = 0.002), higher left atrial volume index (P = 0.005), and higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (P = 0.02).
Conclusion:
In community-dwelling older adults without anaemia, lower plasma hepcidin levels associate with a higher risk of incident HF (particularly HFpEF) and diastolic dysfunction.
More Related Videos
14:35Post-Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure in Closed-chest Coronary Occlusion/Reperfusion Model in Göttingen Minipigs and Landrace Pigs
Published on: April 17, 2021
14:03High-Throughput Cardiotoxicity Screening Using Mature Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocyte Monolayers
Published on: March 24, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents
01:22Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
01:22Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers
01:19Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...