European journal of clinical investigation
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Oct 2009
Serum hepcidin concentration in chronic haemodialysis patients: associations and effects of dialysis, iron and erythropoietin therapy.
Hepcidin, a liver-derived peptide induced by iron overload and inflammation, is a major regulator of iron homeostasis. As hepcidin decreases gastrointestinal iron absorption and recirculation from monocytes, over-expression is associated with the development of anaemia. ⋯ Hepcidin levels in stable haemodialysis patients appear to reflect systemic iron load, but not inflammation. Due to the negative association between reticulocyte counts and hepcidin, the reduction of circulating hepcidin concentrations by dialysis and/or rhEpo treatment may positively affect erythropoiesis.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Oct 2009
Sex differences in the association between albumin and all-cause and vascular mortality.
Low serum albumin levels are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality risk. This study evaluated the predictive value of low serum albumin for all-cause-mortality in a large Viennese patient cohort and investigated sex differences in the association between serum albumin and mortality. ⋯ This study demonstrates a strong inverse association between serum albumin and mortality in a large patient cohort. The predictive value of low albumin was remarkably higher in men than in women.