[Increased hepcidin levels three days after gynecological interventions].

UNLABELLED: Hepcidin is an endogenous substance that inhibits iron absorption and plasma iron levels. Due to technical reasons its levels are not routinely assessed and data regarding its clinical relevance are limited. We analyzed the alteration of hepcidin levels following gynecological interventions. Hepcidin levels were determined by mass spectrometry, along with the levels of interleukin-6, the main inductor of hepcidin with ELISA in 17 women undergoing gynecological intervention just prior to and three days after the surgery. The results were related to iron homeostasis parameters. A decrease in serum iron (median, interquartile range) (17.85 [15.25-24.9] versus 10.1 [7.6-15.0] μmol/l, p<0.01) and transferrin levels (60.3 [55.93-67.18] versus 53.1 [49.7-60.0], p< 0.01) μmol/l, simultaneously with an increase in hepcidin (2.75 [2.24-3.51] versus 8.01 [6.8-9.67] μg/l, p<0.01) and interleukin-6 levels (ND = not detected) (ND [ND - 2.2] versus 8.15 [2.31-12.86], p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

As with other acute phase proteins postoperative hepcidin levels dramatically increase, simultaneously with other changes in iron homeostasis. These results indicate a possible causative relationship between increased hepcidin and decreased iron levels. In clinical practice, determination of hepcidin levels may be indicated for characterization and, possibly, prediction of postoperative iron homeostasis. However, measurement of hepcidin level in clinical practice is unlikely in the near future due to the lack of available kits for routine clinical laboratories.