Authors: Maria Gill , Muhammad Omar Shamim , Attiqa Khalid , Shaheena Naz , Muhammad Faisal Javaid , Madiha Mumtaz

Abstract

Background and Objective: Chronic hepatitis C infection and its associated mortality and morbidity is a big health challenge in Pakistan. Chronic hepatitis C infection leads to marked reduction of serum hepcidin levels leading to systemic iron overload. Present study was aimed to determine the levels of serum hepcidin in chronic hepatitis C patients and controls.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Department of Physiology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore from January 2012 to January 2014. A total of 81 individualsin each of the two groups were recruited after taking written informed consent. Group A was a control group (with no history of hepatitis) while Group B comprised of chronic hepatitis (CHC) patients. Both groups were tested for serum hepcidin levels measured by ELISA technique. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for serum hepcidin levels in each group. Comparative analysis of serum hepcidin value was done between two groups by applying Kruskal Wallis test.
Results: In Group A, 89% subjects had reduced serum hepcidin levels while in Group B, 93% CHCpatients showed decreased serum hepcidin levels. No significant difference in serum hepcidin was seen among both groups.
Conclusion: Reduced hepcidin levels are seen in hepatitis C patients. Insignificant difference observed in both groups open the horizon towards other etiological factorsthat may result in decreased serum hepcidin levels in these patients.

Keywords: Hepcidin, Liver expressed antimicrobial peptide-LEAP-1, Chronic hepatitis C, ELISA.