title: Prohepcidin levels in refractory anaemia caused by lead poisoning.
abstract: Recent research evidence suggests a central role for hepcidin in iron homeostasis. Hepcidin is a hormone synthesized in the liver. Hepcidin is also thought to play a vital role in the pathogenic mechanism of anaemia in patients with inflammation or chronic disease. A 38-year-old female who presented with recurrent abdominal pain was found to have raised urinary porphyrins and a blood lead level of 779 μg/l. Her haemoglobin level was 8.3 g/dl. Her MCV was normal. Serum ferritin, B12 and folate were normal. Her serum prohepcidin level was 2,489 ng/ml (normal <450 ng/ml). To our knowledge, this is the first report of raised prohepcidin levels in a patient with anaemia of chronic disease resulting from lead poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Gastroenterology, Ealing Hospital, Southall, UK.
authors.forename: Jayantha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busbridge
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sangwaiya
authors.forename: Bharati
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhatkal
authors.forename: Parth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paskaran
authors.forename: Arabinda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geoghegan
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kealey