Assessment of hepcidin status in chronic hepatitis ”C” disease: Correlation with disease progression

Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Over 170 million people are infected with HCV worldwide.Objectives: The aim of this work is to study the serum prohepcidin level in a cohort of patients with chronic HCV infection with mild to marked fibrosis as well as a group of CHC patients complicated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Correlation with iron status and hepatic histological activity index is to be elucidated.Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was planned to assess the pro-hepcidin level, its relationship with iron status in the chronic hepatitis ”C” patients and its relation to progression of the disease and development of HCC. This study included 55 patients classified into two groups: Group A composed of 40 patients of CHC infection; 6 of them were complicated with HCC. Patients were selected prior to antiviral therapy. Group B (control group) composed of 15 healthy volunteers.