title: Serum iron markers in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have elevated serum iron markers, which may worsen liver injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the possible correlations between iron metabolism serum markers, HCV viral load, and liver disease severity in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty five patients with untreated hepatitis C chronic infection were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty one patients (24.7%) had elevated serum iron levels, and 29 subjects (34.1%) had severe liver fibrosis. Significantly elevated levels of serum iron (P < 0.05) and ferritin (P < 0.001), associated with lower levels of TIBC (P < 0.05) were detected in patients with severe fibrosis compared to no/mild fibrosis. Severe necroinflammatory activity was also significantly correlated with serum iron (P < 0.001), TIBC (P < 0.05), and ferritin levels (P < 0.001). Using multiple linear regression analysis, serum levels of ferritin and transferrin were the independent variables selected as being good predictors for advanced fibrosis and severe necroinflammatory activity. No significant correlations were detected between HCV viral load and iron markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that serum iron markers (especially ferritin and transferrin) might be used as surrogate markers for both liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity.Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have elevated serum iron markers, which may worsen liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Biochemistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Codruta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vagu
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania ; Emergent Diseases Department, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sultana
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania ; Emergent Diseases Department, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruta
keywords: Chronic Hepatitis C; Ferritin; Liver Cirrhosis; Transferrin