A Study of Changes in Prohepcidin and Iron Levels in Patients with Liver Transplant and Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Aim: To study changes in hepcidin, a key protein synthesized in the liver, following chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and/or liver transplant, as well as the effect of hepcidin level variation on liver function tests and iron levels. Materials and Methods: The patient population was distributed as follows: Group 1: inactive chronic hepatitis B (n=31); Group 2: chronic hepatitis C (n=30); Group 3: decompensated cirrhosis linked to hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) (n=29); Group 4: decompensated HCV- or HBV-related cirrhosis treated by liver transplantation (n=31). Results: The following characteristics were unequally distributed among the groups: age, Hb, AST, ALP, LDH, T. bil, albumin, total cholesterol, HDL, serum total iron binding capacity, and transferrin saturation (TS). In the two-group comparison of Groups 1 and 2, significant differences in Hb, AST, AP, albumin, and prohepcidin were observed; the latter was more elevated in HCV patients (Group 2) (p