title: Serum prohepcidin levels are lower in patients with atrophic gastritis.
abstract: Background/Aim. Hepcidin, an iron regulatory hormone, is increased in response to inflammation and some infections. We investigated the relationships among serum prohepcidin, iron status, Helicobacter pylori infection status, and the presence of gastric mucosal atrophy. Methods. Seventy subjects undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy underwent multiple gastric biopsies, and the possibility of H. pylori infection and the degree of endoscopic and histologic gastritis were investigated. In all subjects, serum prohepcidin and iron parameters were evaluated. Results. No correlations were observed between serum prohepcidin levels and the other markers of anemia, such as hemoglobin, serum iron, ferritin, and total iron binding capacity. Serum prohepcidin levels were not significantly different between the H. pylori-positive group and the H. pylori-negative group. Serum prohepcidin levels in atrophic gastritis patients were significantly lower than those in subjects without atrophic gastritis irrespective of H. pylori infection. Conclusion. Serum prohepcidin levels were not altered by H. pylori infection. Serum prohepcidin levels decrease in patients with atrophic gastritis, irrespective of H. pylori infection. It suggests that hepcidin may decrease due to gastric atrophy, a condition that causes a loss of hepcidin-producing parietal cells. Further investigations with a larger number of patients are necessary to substantiate this point.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu 480717, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Chul
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Ju-Ok
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.forename: Sun-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyunjung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hiun-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Young-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho