Comparison of serum prohepcidin and iron metabolism parameters in obese and non-obese elderly individuals

• Published in: Endokrynologia Polska Vol. 64; no. 4; pp. 272 - 277
• Main Authors: Przybyszewska, Justyna, Żekanowska, Ewa, Kędziora-Kornatowska, Kornelia, Boinska, Joanna, Porzych, Katarzyna, Przybyszewski, Michał, Cichon, Roman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Polish
• Published: Poland Wydawnictwo Via Medica 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anemia; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - blood; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - complications; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - diagnosis; Biomarkers - blood; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Erythropoietin - blood; Female; Ferritins - blood; Hepcidins - blood; Humans; Iron; Male; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Risk Factors; Serum Albumin - analysis
• ISSN: 0423-104X; 2299-8306
• DOI: 10.5603/EP.2013.0005

Current knowledge indicates that there is a close connection between being overweight, obesity and iron metabolism disorders,but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Hepcidin could be a major contributor to poor iron status observed in the obese population. The study was performed in 58 obese elderly individuals (F/M 34/24) aged 65-91 (78.92 ± 8.32) years. The controlgroup consisted of 15 non-obese elderly volunteers, age- and sex-matched. Based on the WHO definition, 36 (62%) obese individualswere diagnosed with normo- or microcytic anaemia. The following parameters were determined: prohepcidin, haemoglobin, serum iron,erythropoietin, ferritin and C-reactive protein (CRP). Prohepcidin concentrations were significantly increased in obese elderly individuals without anaemia compared to obese andanaemic (p < 0.01) as well as non-obese volunteers (p < 0.01). In obese individuals with anaemia there was a decrease in serum iron,concomitant with increased levels of erythropoietin and CRP compared to two other groups. Ferritin concentration was increased inobese people (with and without anaemia) compared to the non-obese group. Serum prohepcidin levels were positively correlated withfat mass percentage in obese individuals without and with anaemia (r = 0.32; p = 0.02). Results of this preliminary study suggest that body fat content does have an impact on prohepcidin concentration, andthereby on iron homeostasis.