Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) includes various intestinal pathologies, the most common of which are Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Anemia is one of the most common symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Hepcidin is a major mediator of anemia and plays a central role in the homeostasis of the iron metabolism. It regulates the absorption of iron and release of the element from the cells by blocking the action of ferroportin, which is the only known iron exporter from macrophages, hepatocytes and duodenal enterocytes. Nineteen UC patients and 26 CD were included. They were evaluated for serum iron and hepcidin levels. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured as inflammation markers. Hepcidin and IL-6 were measured by ELISA methods. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used for quantification of serum Fe. CRP was quantified by nephelometric method. The results form IBD patients were compared to age and gender matched healthy controls. Statistical analysis of established results was performed using Pearson’s correlation and Student’s paired t-test. We found statistically significant elevated serum iron results in CD and UC patients (41.1µmol/Land 42.3µmol/L) compared to healthy controls (21.7 µmol/L); P<0.001. Hepcidin concentrations were increased in CD and UC cases (51.9 µg/L and 58.9 µg/L) compared to controls (24.8 µg/L); P<0.001. IL-6 and CRP levels were elevated in both CD and UC (IL-6: 12.4pg/mL and 13.7pg/mL; CRP: 12.9mg/L and 13.1mg/L) in comparison to normal values in healthy controls (IL-6: 4.4pg/mL; CRP: 1.0mg/L); P<0.005. Evaluation of serum hepcidin in IBD patients may become a key element in the diagnosis and treatment of anemia in the near future. The study of hepcidin has potential role in diagnostic algorithms for differentiation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and anemia of chronic diseases (ACD) and the combination of IDA/ACD.
 

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