Contribution of changes in iron metabolism in pathogenesis of chronic diffuse liver diseases

Abstract

Objective. To assess the role of iron metabolism changes in the pathogenesis of chronic diffuse liver diseases (CDLD). Assessment of the hepatic fibrosis progression and the most significant factors, influencing it, is still an actual target of modern medicine. A certain interest from the point of view of complex approach to studying the mechanism of development and progression of fibrosis is the determination of serum markers of iron metabolism.
 Materials and methods. The study included 170 patients with CDLD: 150 with chronic viral hepatitis C and 20 with alcohol hepatic cirrhosis (AHC). Iron metabolism indices and functional hepatic biochemical tests were studied. Expression of hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis was estimated by means of the liver density index with the scale METAVIR using the data of ultrasound elastography (Fibroscan 502, Echosens, France); fibrosis development rate was calculated with T. Poynard method. The control group enclosed 100 persons.
 Results. There was revealed a significant elevation of the blood ferritin concentration among patients with chronic hepatitis up to 107.9 [31; 250] ng/ml compared with the control (22.0 [11; 33] ng/ml) and to 325.8 [209; 401] ng/ml in patients with AHC.
 Conclusions. Progression of fibrosis into cirrhosis in patients with CDLD is interconnected with iron metabolism disorders in the form of increased ferritin concentration, which correlates with the parameters of liver lesion severity that confirms a direct involvement of iron metabolism disorders in CDLD pathogenesis.