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New Test Measures Hepcidin, Can Help Diagnose Anaemias and Iron Disorders

NEW YORK -- August 11, 2008 -- Researchers have developed the first method to measure the hormone hepcidin. This new blood test will help clinicians manage chronic conditions such as anaemias and iron overload diseases. The report appears in the online August issue of Blood.

The new test will directly measure hepcidin, offering more information to clinicians to help diagnose conditions and monitor the levels of this important hormone in their patients, leading to more efficient management of these chronic diseases.

"We developed and validated the first serum for hepcidin, the principal iron-regulatory hormone that has been very difficult to measure," the authors wrote.

Serum hepcidin concentrations in 24 healthy subjects correlated well with their urinary hepcidin (r = 0.82). Serum hepcidin appropriately correlated with serum ferritin (r = 0.63), reflecting the regulation of both protein by iron stores.

Expected alterations in hepcidin levels were observed in a variety of clinical conditions associated with iron disturbances. Serum ]hepcidin concentrations were undetectable or low in patients with iron deficiency anaemia (ferritin <10 ng/mL), iron-depleted HFE haemochromatosis, and juvenile haemochromatosis.

Serum hepcidin concentrations were high in patients with inflammation (C-reactive protein >10mg/dL), multiple myeloma, or chronic kidney disease.

"The new serum hepcidin yields accurate and reproducible measurements that appropriately reflect physiologic, pathologic, and genetic influences, and is informative about the aetiology of iron disorders," said the authors.

SOURCE: University of California Los Angeles

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