Prohepcidin Levels in Refractory Anaemia Caused by Lead Poisoning
- Jayantha Arnold
- Mark Busbridge
- Arvind Sangwaiya
- Bharati Bhatkal
- Parth Paskaran
- Arabinda Pal
- Frank Geoghegan
- Terence Kealey
Publication date
February 2008
DOI Publisher
Karger Publishers ISSN
1662-0631 Journal
1662-0631 Citation count (estimate)
1Abstract
Recent research evidence suggests a central role for hepcidin in iron homeostasis. Hepcidin is a hormone synthesized in the liver. Hepcidin is also thought to play a vital role in the pathogenic mechanism of anaemia in patients with inflammation or chronic disease. A 38-year-old female who presented with recurrent abdominal pain was found to have raised urinary porphyrins and a blood lead level of 779 µg/l. Her haemoglobin level was 8.3 g/dl. Her MCV was normal. Serum ferritin, B12 and folate were normal. Her serum prohepcidin level was 2,489 ng/ml (normal <450 ng/ml ). To our knowledge, this is the first report of raised prohepcidin levels in a patient with anaemia of chronic disease resulting from lead poisoning
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