title: Hepcidin Levels Are Increased in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: Preliminary Report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our current understanding of iron balance in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is still limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate levels of iron homeostasis proteins-hepcidin (25-amino acid form) and soluble hemojuvelin (sHJV) together with hepcidin/sHJV ratio (Hepc/sHJV) and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) in patients with AIS. In addition, the effect of timing of blood collection, type of stroke treatment, and scores on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants comprised 31 patients diagnosed with AIS and 20 matched healthy controls. Venous blood samples were drawn on the first day and on the seventh day after stroke onset. Individuals who had experienced a stroke were subdivided according to type of treatment (thrombolysis group, n = 12 versus nonthrombolysis group, n = 19). Plasma hepcidin, sHJV, and sTfR levels were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that plasma hepcidin levels were significantly higher in ischemic stroke patients compared with the control group (median, 19.82 versus 12.62 ng/mL, P = .04). Furthermore, levels of hepcidin on the seventh day (1 week after diagnosis) were significantly higher in patients treated with thrombolysis than in patients not treated with thrombolysis (median, 22.16 versus 16.21 ng/mL, P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides evidence that AIS is associated with increased hepcidin levels. Stroke treatment may have an influence on hepcidin synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Electronic address: slomkaartur@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Słomka
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Stroke Care Unit, Jan Biziel University Hospital No 2, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Świtońska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Żekanowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000097:blood; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; C481006:HJV protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D064451:Hepcidins; D014168:Transferrin
keywords: Stroke; hemojuvelin; heparin; hepcidin