Iron deficiency in sepsis patients based on reticulocyte hemoglobin and hepcidin concentration: a prospective cohort study

Piotr F Czempik; Agnieszka Wiórek

doi:10.5114/aoms/161802

Iron deficiency in sepsis patients based on reticulocyte hemoglobin and hepcidin concentration: a prospective cohort study

Arch Med Sci. 2023 May 24;19(3):805-809. doi: 10.5114/aoms/161802. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Piotr F Czempik^{1

2}, Agnieszka Wiórek¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
² Transfusion Committee, University Clinical Center of Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: Iron tests are deranged in sepsis; therefore new biomarkers should be used for diagnosis of iron deficiency (ID)/ID anemia (IDA).

Methods: Diagnosis of ID/IDA was based on reticulocyte (Ret) hemoglobin (Hb) equivalent (Ret-He) and Hb concentration, with hepcidin (Hep) determined retrospectively.

Results: The prevalence of ID and IDA was 7% and 47%, respectively. The AUROCs for Rets number and Hep in prediction of ID/IDA were 0.69 and 0.62, respectively.

Conclusions: Approximately half of sepsis patients are iron-deficient. Number of Rets may be a predictor of ID/IDA when Ret-He is not available. Hepcidin is a poor IDA predictor.

Keywords: hepcidin; intensive care unit; iron deficiency anemia; reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent; sepsis.