Serum hepcidin level and its clinical significance in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Hepcidin is a key protein of iron metabolism, which may play an important role in the prognosis of patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the prognosis of maintenance hemodialysis patients and serum hepcidin level. We enrolled 60 patients on maintenance hemodialysis and 30 healthy controls from March 2012 to December 2012 in our hospital. Peripheral blood samples were collected to determine hepcidin by an ELISA method. Hepcidin levels of hemodialysis patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy control group. Hepcidin level was positively correlated with the degree of anemia in the dialysis group. Therefore, we conclude that hepcidin level is significantly increased in patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis and that increased hepcidin seriously affects the prognosis of chronic renal failure.