title: Short-Term Effects of Blood Transfusions on Hepcidin in Preterm Infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepcidin, a key regulatory peptide hormone in iron homeostasis, may in future serve as a non-invasive iron status parameter for monitoring iron supplementation in preterm infants. For this, coexisting influencing factors should be taken into account.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the short-term effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions on hepcidin concentrations in serum (HepS) and urine (HepU) of preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, observational study conducted between May 2009 and September 2010 at a single neonatal unit (Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany) in very preterm infants, i.e. with a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks, who received clinically indicated RBC transfusions. The concentration of the mature, 25 amino-acid form of hepcidin was determined in serum und urine by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay together with cellular indices before and after transfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty preterm infants born at a median GA of 26 + 0/7 (interquartile range: 24 + 6/7 to 27 + 3/7) weeks received 27 RBC transfusions at a median corrected age of 31 + 3/7 (29 + 6/7 to 34 + 5/7) weeks. When measured shortly after transfusion (mean time: 10 h), haematocrit values increased from a mean of 26.6% (SD 2.8) to 40.9% (SD 3.2); p < 0.0001. HepS also increased [geometric mean: 44.3 (95% confidence interval 30.8-63.8) ng/ml vs. 58.0 (35.7-94.3) ng/ml; p < 0.05] but HepU remained unaffected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicate that HepS concentrations increase shortly after RBC transfusion in preterm infants. Long-term observational studies are needed to understand the dynamics of hepcidin regulation in preterm infants.
authors: Department of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital of Tx00FC;bingen, Tx00FC;bingen, Germany.
authors: Laila
authors: L
authors: Lorenz
authors: Katharina F
authors: KF
authors: Müller
authors: Christian F
authors: CF
authors: Poets
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Peter
authors: Gordana
authors: G
authors: Olbina
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Westerman
authors: Axel R
authors: AR
authors: Franz
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D005865:Gestational Age; D006400:Hematocrit; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D064451:Hepcidins