An insight into the relationships between prohepcidin, iron deficiency anemia, and interleukin-6 values in pediatric Helicobacter pylori gastritis

The link between Helicobacter pylori and iron deficiency (ID) or iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been investigated recently. We suggested that IDA/ID associated with H. pylori infection might be mediated by inflammation-driven hepcidin production. Patients with complaints of recurrent abdominal pain and dyspepsia aged between 7–16 years were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to H. pylori status in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Group I who had H. pylori gastritis ( n = 50) received triple antibiotic therapy. Group II ( n = 50) who had H. pylori -negative gastritis only received proton pump inhibitor. Thirty healthy children with the similar age and gender were included in the study as a control group. Complete blood count, serum iron levels, iron-binding capacity, ferritin levels, prohepcidin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) values were evaluated in all children at the first visit. Initial tests were repeated after H. pylori eradication. Initial levels of ferritin ( p = 0.002), prohepcidin ( p = 0.003), and IL-6 ( p = 0.004) were found significantly lower in group I compared to group II and the control group. The mean prohepcidin level was lower in the anemic H. pylori -positive group than in non-anemic H. pylori -positive group; however, the difference was not statistically significant. While significant increases in hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume were observed, no significant difference was found in serum ferritin, prohepcidin, or IL-6 level after eradication treatment in H. pylori -positive group. Conclusion : H. pylori -induced gastritis appears to cause an increase in prohepcidin levels and a decrease in ferritin levels, supporting our hypothesis; but this relationship has not been proven.