The Relationship between Serum Hepcidin Level and Serum Iron Parameters in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract Background: Anemia is a major clinical problem in patients on dialysis and has substantial impact on morbidity and mortality. Anemia in these patients is a multifactorial one on of these factors is iron hemostasis and one of its regulator is hepcidin. Aim of Study: The aim of this work is to evaluate hepcidin levels, identify the relation of hepcidin with various iron parameters and to assess the correlation of hepcidin with hepatitis C virus sero-positivity in a population of prevalent hemodialysis patients in Egypt. Patients and Methods: This study included 40 patients, who have end stage renal disease (ESRD), on regular hemo-dialysis divided into two groups Group 1 (HCV–ve) and Group II (HCV+ve). Patients selected from Tanta University Hospitals, Internal Medicine Department, Nephrology and Hemodialysis Unit and 20 control healthy individuals age and sex cross matched. All were subjected to history taking, physical and clinical examination, routine laboratory investi-gation and hepcidin level using ELISA Kit. Results: The study showed significant higher hemoglobin level in (HCV+ve) group than (HCV–ve) group. Also (HCV+ve) group showed significant higher level in iron, TFS and ferritin in comparison with (HCV–ve) group. The study showed significant higher level of hepcidin and CRP in (HCV–ve) group in comparison with (HCV+ve) group and between dialysis groups with control one. There was positive significant correlation between hepcidin and CRP, ferritin and also there was negative significant correlation between hepcidin and hemoglobin. Conclusion: The Level of serum hepcidin is associated with values of hemoglobin and hematocrit, which led to lowering of the necessary erythropoietin dose and iron therapy specifically in patients with anemia of end stage renal disease.