title: Circulating hepcidin in the crossroads of anemia and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of circulating hepcidin, which is a homeostatic regulator of iron metabolism and a mediator of inflammation, in anemia associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with rheumatoid arthritis (19 with anemia and 21 without anemia), 12 patients with iron deficiency anemia and 14 healthy adults were studied. Serum hepcidin levels were analyzed with hepcidin prohormone solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum hepcidin levels were significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with anemia compared to healthy adults and those with iron deficiency anemia. The active rheumatoid arthritis group had significantly higher mean serum hepcidin levels than the inactive rheumatoid arthritis group. In the rheumatoid arthritis group, serum hepcidin levels were positively correlated with disease activity, but inversely correlated with hemoglobin levels. The serum hepcidin level was found to be a significant predictor for hemoglobin level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum hepcidin levels are closely associated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients and might play a role in the pathobiology of chronic disease anemia associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Rheumatology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. mehmetderyademirag@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Derya
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Demirag
authors.forename: Seminur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haznedaroglu
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sancak
authors.forename: Ceyla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Konca
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gulbahar
authors.forename: M Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins