Serum hepcidin measured by immunochemical and mass-spectrometric methods and their correlation with iron status indicators in healthy children aged 0.5-3 y.

Background: The diagnostic use of hepcidin is limited by the absence of standardization and lack of age-specific reference ranges in children in particular. The aim of this study was to determine reference ranges of serum hepcidin in healthy children aged 0.5-3 y using mass spectometry (MS) and a commercial immunochemical (IC) assay, and to investigate its association with other indicators of iron status and inflammation.

The value of soluble transferrin receptor and hepcidin in the assessment of iron status in children with cystic fibrosis.

Background: The value of ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency is limited in patients with CF since it increases in the presence of inflammation. We hypothesized that the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and hepcidin may provide more information than ferritin in assessing iron status in children with CF.

Methods: We analyzed sTfR and hepcidin in relation to conventional iron status indicators in 49 children with CF.