Correlation Between Serum Ferritin and Hepcidin Levels in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients.

Maria Gill,Arusa Horii,Mannal Saleem,Faiza Ikram,Misbah Ul Qamar,Javaria Sharafat,Ayesha Noreen,Irum Rehman,Nadia Khadim,Bakhtawar Tahir

doi:10.7759/cureus.17484

Abstract

BackgroundIn addition to the known role of serum ferritin as an inflammatory mediator, its role in the induction of serum hepcidin is yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to identify a correlation between serum ferritin and hepcidin levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and healthy individuals.MethodologyA total of 44 male subjects, selected by convenient sampling technique, were included in this study. The study population was divided into group I including 22 healthy males and group II including age-matched 22 CHC patients. Serum hepcidin and serum ferritin levels of study participants in both groups were assessed. Serum parameters were compared between two groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation test was applied between serum ferritin and serum hepcidin in each group. P-values of ≤0.05 were considered significant.ResultsThe median values of serum ferritin in group I and group II were in the normal range, though serum ferritin of CHC patients was significantly higher than the healthy population (p = 0.03). The median values of serum hepcidin in both groups were below the normal range. In CHC patients, a negative nonsignificant correlation (rho = -0.34, p = 0.13) was observed between serum ferritin and serum hepcidin. A positive nonsignificant correlation (rho = 0.19, p = 0.4) was observed between serum ferritin and serum hepcidin in the healthy population.ConclusionsOur study could not bring forth any conclusive remarks in favor of serum ferritin as an inflammatory mediator raising serum hepcidin levels among CHC patients. A negative nonsignificant correlation between studied parameters in CHC patients may indicate the involvement of some other factor such as hepatitis C virus in the reduction of serum hepcidin levels.

Highlights

After the discovery of serological markers for hepatitis A and B from 1970 to 1980, another obnoxious virus was discovered and held accountable for most transfusion-induced hepatitis, that is, non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) [1]
This study aimed to identify a correlation between serum ferritin and hepcidin levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and healthy individuals
The median values of serum ferritin in group I and group II were in the normal range, though serum ferritin of CHC patients was significantly higher than the healthy population (p = 0.03)

Summary

Introduction

After the discovery of serological markers for hepatitis A and B from 1970 to 1980, another obnoxious virus was discovered and held accountable for most transfusion-induced hepatitis, that is, non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) [1]. In the late 1980s, serological diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was made possible by the successful molecular cloning of the viral genome and, in 1989, NANBH was replaced with hepatitis C [1]. Known risk factors for hepatitis C transmission are the reuse of syringes, intravenous drug abuse, organ transplantation, and exposure to blood products [3]. Of these risk factors, blood transfusion and dialysis are the leading causes for the transmission of hepatitis C [3]. This study aimed to identify a correlation between serum ferritin and hepcidin levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and healthy individuals

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