Hepcidin regulates iron availability and may be responsible for the anemia of chronic disease because it is induced by interleukin-6. This study investigated the IL-6-hepcidin-hemoglobin axis in patients with lupus.
Methods
IL-6 and hepcidin were measured in serial serum samples collected before, during and after lupus flares by specific ELISAs.
Results
During renal and non-renal SLE flare cycles IL-6 did not predict hepcidin and hepcidin did not predict hemoglobin. When lupus nephritis patients were in remission, IL-6 and hepcidin were correlated, but hepcidin and hemoglobin were not.
Conclusion
Hepcidin does not contribute significantly to anemia during active lupus.
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