title: Iron homeostasis during cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypoferremia is a marker of disease severity in cystic fibrosis (CF). The effect of systemic antibiotics on iron homeostasis during CF pulmonary exacerbation (CFPE) is unknown. Our central hypotheses were that, by the completion of treatment, serum iron would increase, serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hepcidin-25, two mediators of hypoferremia, would decrease, and sputum iron would decrease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood and sputum samples were collected from 12 subjects with moderate-to-severe CF (median percentage-predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1) %) = 29%; median weight = 56 kg) within 24 hours of starting and completing a course of systemic antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment, subjects showed median FEV(1) % and body weight improvements of 4.5% and 2.0 kg, respectively (p < 0.05). Median serum iron rose by 2.4 μmol/L (p < 0.05), but 75% of patients remained hypoferremic. Median serum IL-6 and hepcidin-25 levels fell by 12.1 pg/mL and 37.5 ng/mL, respectively (p < 0.05). Median serum erythropoietin (EPO) and hemoglobin levels were unaffected by treatment. We observed a trend toward lower sputum iron content after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoferremia is a salient characteristic of CFPE that improves with waning inflammation. Despite antibiotic treatment, many patients remain hypoferremic and anemic because of ineffective erythropoiesis.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. giffora@hitchcock.org
authors.forename: Alex H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moulton
authors.forename: Dana B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olbina
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westerman
authors.forename: H Worth
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: O'Toole
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D064451:Hepcidins; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013183:Sputum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D006454:Hemoglobins; D064451:Hepcidins; D015850:Interleukin-6; C545475:hepcidin 25, human; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron