title: Hepcidin and iron metabolism associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in children: A case-control study.
abstract: Iron metabolism plays a crucial role in the development of cardiometabolic disease; however, the association between cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) and hepcidin as well as other iron parameters remains unclear in children. The aims of this study were to compare the circulating hepcidin levels and iron metabolism between children with and without CMRFs and to investigate the association between those iron parameters and CMRFs.
  
  
  
  A case-control study was conducted among 1126 children aged 7-14 years in the case group (n = 563) with CMRFs and the healthy control group (n = 563). Iron parameters, lipids, and anthropometric characteristics were evaluated. The information on demographics, diet, and physical activities was either children reported or parent reported. Compared with the healthy controls, children with CMRFs had higher levels of hepcidin and lower levels of serum iron, transferrin, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR; P < 0.001). Besides, the odds ratios (ORs) for low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were 2.03, 0.21, and 0.33 in children with higher hepcidin, transferrin, and sTfR levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, ORs for cardiometabolic risk were 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.30-0.85, P < 0.05), 0.22 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.42, P < 0.01) and 0.19 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.36, P < 0.01) in children with higher serum iron, transferrin, and sTfR levels, respectively.
  
  
  
  The levels of hepcidin were higher, while those of iron, transferrin, and sTfR were lower in children with CMRF. Hepcidin was positively associated with the risk of low HDL levels, whereas transferrin and sTfR levels negatively correlated with the risk of low HDL levels. In addition, serum iron, transferrin, and sTfR levels were negatively associated with cardiometabolic risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: chenyj68@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D064451:Hepcidins; D008055:Lipids; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron
keywords: Cardiometabolic risk factors; Children; Hepcidin; Iron metabolism; Lipid profile