title: Serum prohepcidin levels and iron parameters in term small-for-gestational-age newborns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the effect of prenatal chronic hypoxia on prohepcidin levels in term newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined prohepcidin (Pro-Hep) levels in both term appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) and term small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Uteroplacental insufficiency had exposed all SGA infants to chronic hypoxia. Serum samples were collected from nine full-term SGA infants. Samples were analyzed for complete blood count, serum iron and ferritin concentrations, iron-binding capacity, and prohepcidin levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum Pro-Hep level was 156.4 ? 46.7 ng/ml for SGA infants and 482 ? 371.9 ng/ml for 16 healthy term AGA infants (historical controls); this difference was statistically significant. Statistical analyses revealed significant between-group differences for hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, red blood cell distribution width, and serum ferritin and Pro-Hep levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that compared with AGA infants, Pro-Hep levels were lower in term SGA infants, suggesting that prenatal chronic hypoxia decreases Pro-Hep synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neonatology, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey. sozkiraz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkiraz
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kilicdag
authors.forename: Zeynel
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gokmen
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ecevit
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarcan
authors.forename: Namik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozbek
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D047929:Term Birth / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D064451:Hepcidins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D007501:Iron