Jan
2012

Hepcidin concentrations in serum and urine correlate with iron homeostasis in preterm infants.

Müller KF, Lorenz L, Poets CF, Westerman M, Franz AR
J Pediatr 2012; Jan 26 [Epub ahead of print].
NATA Rating :
Review by : J. Lacroix
NATA Review

The incidence of anemia in premature and very low birth weight neonates is very high. Iron supplemetation should be considered in these patients but the cost-benefit ratio of this therapeutic measure is not always clear. Hepcidin might help address this question. Hepcidin is a regulator of iron homeostatis: when the hepcidin level is high, intestinal iron absorption and systemic iron availability are low; vice versa, a low hepcidin level enhances plasmatic iron availability. Müller et al. measured urine and serum concentrations of hepcidin in 31 preterm infants (23-32 weeks gestational age). They found that the measurement of hepcidin from urine and serum seems reliable, and that hepcidin level might be a useful information when an iron supplementation is considered. However, futher studies must be conducted before we start to use this new biomarker.

– Jacques Lacroix

Consent Management Platform by Real Cookie Banner