Serum hepcidin: indication of its role as an "acute phase" marker in febrile children.

Background: Hepcidin is classified as a type II acute phase protein; its production is a component of the innate immune response to infections.

Objective: To evaluate the alterations of serum hepcidin in children during and following an acute febrile infection.

Materials And Methods: 22 children with fever of acute onset (< 6 hours) admitted to the 2nd Department of Pediatrics-University of Athens.

Serum hepcidin and ferritin to iron ratio in evaluation of bacterial versus viral infections in children: a single-center study.

Background: Differential diagnosis of childhood infections is important. Several biochemical indices steer diagnosis toward bacterial agents, although the data are often not definitive. Hepcidin is a central component of blood iron, and ferritin alterations occur during infections.