Department of Internal Medicine, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa.
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Apr;22(4):461-5. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e3283344708.
Iron is deemed to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of liver damage in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Hepcidin has recently emerged as the key hormone in the regulation of iron balance and recycling. We assessed plasma prohepcidin levels in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and investigated the association of this molecule with iron parameters, histologic activity index, and liver fibrosis scores.
We enrolled 35 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 27 with chronic hepatitis B, and 21 healthy controls. Plasma levels of prohepcidin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Mean prohepcidin levels were significantly lower in patients with chronic hepatitis B than in those with chronic hepatitis C (P<0.001) and healthy comparison controls (P<0.05). In patients with chronic hepatitis C, prohepcidin was independently associated with liver fibrosis scores (beta=-0.009, standard error=0.003, P<0.05). No association of prohepcidin with iron parameters was found.
Significantly lower prohepcidin levels are frequently found in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Levels of this molecule may represent a biochemical correlate of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
铁被认为在慢性病毒性肝炎患者的肝损伤病理生理学中起关键作用。铁调素最近成为调节铁平衡和循环的关键激素。我们评估了慢性病毒性肝炎患者的血浆前铁调素水平，并研究了该分子与铁参数、组织学活动指数和肝纤维化评分的相关性。
我们纳入了 35 例慢性丙型肝炎患者、27 例慢性乙型肝炎患者和 21 名健康对照者。采用酶联免疫吸附试验测定血浆前铁调素水平。
慢性乙型肝炎患者的平均前铁调素水平明显低于慢性丙型肝炎患者（P<0.001）和健康对照组（P<0.05）。在慢性丙型肝炎患者中，前铁调素与肝纤维化评分独立相关（β=-0.009，标准误=0.003，P<0.05）。前铁调素与铁参数无相关性。
慢性乙型肝炎患者常出现明显较低的前铁调素水平。该分子的水平可能代表慢性丙型肝炎病毒感染中纤维化的生化相关指标。
