Reduced serum hepcidin levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C

D Girelli, M Pasino, JB Goodnough, E Nemeth… - Journal of …, 2009 - Elsevier
Background/Aims: Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have increased liver iron, a
condition associated with reduced sustained response to antiviral therapy, more rapid
progression to cirrhosis, and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The hepatic
hormone hepcidin is the major regulator of iron metabolism and inhibits iron absorption and
recycling from erythrophagocytosis. Hepcidin decrease is a possible pathophysiological
mechanism of iron overload in CHC, but studies in humans have been hampered so far by …