ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2010 October;169(5):193-8

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Lack of correlation between presence of hemochromatosis related mutations and iron status in hemodialysis patients

Mennella G. ¹, Valverde S. ², Trabuio E. ², Spinello M. ¹, Antico F. ², Favaro P. ¹, Urso M. ¹, Munaretto G. ¹, Gessoni G. ²

¹ Nephrology and Hemodialysis Unit, Civil Hospital, Chioggia (VE), Italy 2 Transfusion Unit, Civil Hospital, Chioggia (VE), Italy

Aim. We observed a high prevalence of Hemochromatosis gene mutation (HFE) among hemodialysis patients in our area. In this report we studied the correlation between iron metabolism parameter and the presence of HFE mutations in these patients.
Methods. We considered 61 hemodialysis patients, of these 25 (41%) shown HFE. We studied iron status by quantification of iron, transferring, ferritin, pro-hepcidin. Moreover we considered some and red blood cells and reticulocytes related parameters.
Results. None of the considered iron status or red blood cells related analytes considered in this study shown any statistically significant difference by comparing subjects with or without Hemochromatosis related mutations.
Conclusion. A possible interpretation of these unexpected data should be due to the relationship between iron metabolism and chronic inflammation. In hemodialysis patients the findings of chronic inflammation markers is quite common, so in these patients it is possible to suppose that iron metabolism should be regulated manly by inflammation mediators than by “normal” homeostatic mechanism.