Associations of pancreas fat content and size with markers of iron metabolism.

Objective: To comprehensively investigate the associations of pancreas fat content and size with circulating markers of iron metabolism.

Methods: A total of 116 individuals underwent magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy on a 3.0 Tesla scanner, exclusively for the purpose of the COSMOS research programme. Intra-pancreatic fat deposition, total pancreas volume, liver fat content, visceral and subcutaneous fat volumes were quantified. Plasma levels of hepcidin and ferritin were measured. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, adjusting for body mass index, age, and sex.

Results: Total intra-pancreatic fat deposition was inversely associated with hepcidin (β = -0.54, 95 % confidence interval -1.02 to -0.07) whereas total pancreas volume was not associated with hepcidin (β = 0.36, 95 % confidence interval -7.12 to 7.84) in the most adjusted model. Neither total intra-pancreatic fat deposition (β = -0.03, 95 % confidence interval -0.39 to 0.33) nor total pancreas volume (β = -1.02, 95 % confidence interval -6.67 to 4.63) was associated with ferritin in the most adjusted model. Subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and liver fat were not associated with hepcidin. Subcutaneous fat was inversely associated with ferritin (β = -0.06, 95 % CI -0.11 to -0.01) whereas visceral fat (β = 0.05, 95 % CI -0.01 to 0.14) and liver fat (β = 0.09, 95 % CI -0.04 to 0.34) were not associated with ferritin in the most adjusted model.

Conclusions: Increased intra-pancreatic fat deposition, but not other fat depots, is associated with reduced circulating levels of hepcidin. Deranged iron metabolism may play a role in the pathogenesis of fatty change of the pancreas.