Decreased prohepcidin levels in patients with HBV-related liver disease: relation with ferritin levels.

<bold>Background: </bold>Levels of prohepcidin, a homeostatic regulator of iron absorption, are altered in chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis. However, data on the potential alterations of prohepcidin in patients with HBV-related liver disease are scarce. We investigated whether serum prohepcidin is related to iron overload and perenchymal dysfuction in HBV-related liver disease.<bold>Methods: </bold>Three groups of subjects were studied: 66 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 32 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and 42 healthy controls without evidence of liver disease. Serum levels of prohepcidin were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.<bold>Results: </bold>Serum prohepcidin levels were significantly lower in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis (175.85 ± 71.5 ng/ml) than in patients with chronic hepatitis B (209.02 ± 62.7 ng/ml P < 0.05) and controls (222.4 ± 128.4 ng/ml, P < 0.05). After adjustment for potential confounders, prohepcidin was found to be an independent predictor of ferritin levels in multiple linear regression analysis (β = -1.10, t = -3.11, P < 0.01).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>These results demonstrate that prohepcidin levels are reduced in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and are an independent correlate of serum ferritin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]