title: Serum hepcidin: indication of its role as an "acute phase" marker in febrile children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepcidin is classified as a type II acute phase protein; its production is a component of the innate immune response to infections.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the alterations of serum hepcidin in children during and following an acute febrile infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  22 children with fever of acute onset (< 6 hours) admitted to the 2nd Department of Pediatrics-University of Athens. Based on clinical and laboratory findings our sample formed two groups: the viral infection group (13 children) and the bacterial infection group (9 children). Hepcidin, ferritin and serum iron measurements were performed in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum hepcidin values did not differ notably between children with viral and bacterial infection, but a significant reduction of hepcidin was noted in both groups post-infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides clinical pediatric data on the role of hepcidin in the face of an acute infection. In our sample of children, hepcidin was found to rise during the acute infection and fall post-infection.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Pediatrics P&A Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Medical School, Athens University, Athens, Greece. lydiakossiva@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kossiva
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soldatou
authors.forename: Dimitrios I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Gourgiotis
authors.forename: Lamprini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stamati
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsentidis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000097:blood*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D064451:Hepcidins; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; C578702:HAMP protein, human; D064451:Hepcidins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron