Full Length Research Article SERUM HEPCIDIN QUANTIFICATION IN DIFFERENTIATION OF ANEMIA

Hepcidin is a 25 - amino peptide hormone that regulates iron homeostasis. Its serum quantification helps to provide the right therapeutic choice in iron - deficiency anemia and anemia in chronic diseases. We determined serum hepcidin levels using ELISA assay i n 125 patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) [stages from II to V] (n=60), r heumatoid arthritis (n=30), β - talasemia major (n=15) and iron - deficiency anemia (IDA; n=20) for a period 2012 – 2014 year. We compare their results to control group. The refer ence ranges for serum hepcidin in Bulgarian population are 3.052 - 37.750 µg/L. We found statistically significant differences in serum hepcidin levels between measured groups : CKD stages II to IV – 89.9 ± 9.2 μg/L; CKD stage V – 321.4 ± 20.5 μg/L ; β - talas emia major – 0.78 ± 0.9 μg/L ; ; IDA – 1.14 ± 1.2 μg/L; RA – 27.9 ± 8.7 μg/L; P < 0.001. Our results may support the right choice of a therapeutic approach to the anemia in patients with different disorders of iron homeostasis.