title: Circulating hepcidin is independently associated with systolic blood pressure in apparently healthy individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have described the association between hepcidin levels and cardiometabolic risk in the general population and more so by considering robust adjustment for confounding factors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between circulating hepcidin and anthropometric, biochemical and vascular variables related to cardiometabolic risk in healthy individuals adjusting for relevant covariates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred thirty nine individuals (20-65 years old) were included in this cross-sectional study. Outcome variables were fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and the Framingham risk score. Multivariate linear regression and ANCOVA analyses including covariates of body mass index (BMI), menopausal status, physical inactivity, alcohol intake, insulin resistance, subclinical/chronic inflammation, ferritin and soluble transferrin receptors were used to describe the associations between hepcidin and cardiometabolic risk markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In adjusted linear regression analyses, there was no significant association in men. In women, a relationship between hepcidin and triglycerides became significant after adjustments (p <0.05). By comparing quartiles of hepcidin levels, systolic blood pressure values in men were significantly higher in the upper quartile of hepcidin vs. the rest of quartiles independently of BMI, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and other iron markers (ANCOVA, p <0.05). There were no significant independent associations with the Framingham risk score (total points).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a threshold effect of hepcidin levels on systolic blood pressure specifically in men. Further larger studies and experimental research are required to investigate possible mechanisms for the relationship between hepcidin metabolism and vascular function.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Nutrition Group, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. Electronic address: Milton.Suarez@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Milton Fabian
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Suárez-Ortegón
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Group, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia; Physiological Sciences Department, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arbeláez
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Group, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia; Physiological Sciences Department, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Mildrey
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mosquera
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moreno-Navarrete
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Group, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia; Physiological Sciences Department, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Plata
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain. Electronic address: jmfreal@idibgi.org.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Real
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D064451:Hepcidins; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular risk; Hepcidin; Insulin resistance