Hepcidin, Soluble Transferrin Receptor, and Other Biomarkers of Iron Status Distributions in Healthy 2 Years Old Infants from a National Ambulatory Study in France

• Published in: Blood 2019-11, Vol.134 (Supplement_1), p.4809-4809
• Main Authors: Sacri, Anne-Sylvia, Lefebvre, Thibaud, De Montalembert, Mariane, Bocquet, Alain, Gembara, Piotr, Pinçant, Brigitte, Hercberg, Serge, Levy, Corinne, Ganon, Amandine, Gouya, Laurent, Chalumeau, Martin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Human health and pathology; Life Sciences; Pediatrics
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2019-128982

▪ Background: Adequate evaluation of iron status in young children is of paramount importance given the frequency of iron deficiency (ID) and its potential short- and long-term neurocognitive adverse effects when occurs early. Iron metabolism is complex and the correct evaluation of iron status may be difficult, notably when inflammation is present. Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is not modified by inflammation but lacks specificity in ID, and its combination with serum ferritin (SF) by the TfR-F index (TfR/logSF) has been proposed to improve diagnosis performances [Punnonen Blood 1997]. Hepcidin has been identified in the two last decades has the key regulator of iron homeostasis mainly by controlling iron release from macrophages via ferroportin degradation, as well as enterocytes absorption [Ganz Blood 2011]. Scarce studies have been published on hepcidin in healthy children in industrialized countries [Uijterschout Pediatr Res 2014]. The distribution of sTfR and hepcidin in healthy young children is unknown, including according to gender. Aims: Our objective was to describe hepcidin, sTfR and other iron status biomarkers (serum ferritin [SF], hemoglobin (Hb), transferrin saturation, zinc protoporphyrin [ZnPP]) distributions in a population of healthy infants aged 2 years old. Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study conducted in primary care pediatricians' offices throughout France from 2016 to 2017, infants aged 2 years old were consecutively included to undergo a blood sampling in the morning fasting. They were excluded if they were affected by a chronical disease involving iron metabolism, had fever in the last 15 days or biological inflammation defined as a CRP≥10 mg/L, and had no measurement for hepcidin. Hepcidin and ZnPP in erythrocytes were measured after a