Hepcidin in anemic patients with chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Anemia has been recognized as a very common and serious comorbidity in chronic heart failure (CHF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a prevalence ranging from 10 to 79 %, depending on diagnostic definition, disease severity and patient characteristics. A clear association of anemia with worse prognosis has been confirmed in multiple heart failure trials. The pathogenesis of anemia in CHF has yet to be fully elucidated, but is likely to be complex.The origins of defective iron homeostasis, which is a major cause of anemia in patients with chronic heart failure, compared with chronic kidney disease are unknown. The aim – to understand role of the inflammatory mediators:interleukin (IL)-6 and hepcidin in iron deficiency in CHF and CKD. Conclusion. Defective iron homeostasis in anemic CHF and CKD patients is associated with an immune-mediated up-regulation in hepcidin expression, central mediator that inhibits iron release and intestinal iron absorption.