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Serum erythroferrone levels during the first month of life in premature infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 42, pages 97–102 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective

To examine erythroferrone (ERFE)-hepcidin iron regulation in premature infants under intensive care at risk of iron metabolic disorders.

Study design

A retrospective cohort recruited 31 infants with a birth weight of <1500 g hospitalized in a tertiary center. Their hematological status was measured at birth and 2 and 4 weeks of life.

Results

ERFE was positively correlated with the reticulocyte hemoglobin content at 2 (r2 = 0.2374) and 4 weeks (r2 = 0.6005). An assumed negative correlation between ERFE and hepcidin was not determined during the neonatal period. Hepcidin was positively correlated with the leukocyte count (r2 = 0.3089) and ferritin (r2 = 0.7476) at birth and C-reactive protein (r2 = 0.3591) at 2 weeks and negatively correlated with the reticulocyte count (r2 = 0.2887) at 4 weeks.

Conclusion

The vulnerability of the ERFE-hepcidin pathway within 4 weeks may contribute to iron imbalance in premature infants.

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Fig. 1: Enrollment of the study population.
Fig. 2: Hematological and iron metabolism parameters of the selected VLBWIs from birth to 4 weeks of life.
Fig. 3: The associations between ERFE and hepcidin as well as their particular relationship with established markers of iron metabolism.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank our fellows (Dr. Korematsu T, Dr. Watabe T, and Dr. Egami N) for treating the patients and Ms. Unose R and Tanaka T for their technical assistance.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Nina Lenhartová, Masayuki Ochiai.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Nina Lenhartová, Masayuki Ochiai, Toru Sawano, Kazuaki Yasuoka, Junko Fujiyoshi, Hirosuke Inoue & Shouichi Ohga

  2. Department of Perinatal and Pediatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Masayuki Ochiai

  3. Comprehensive Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan

    Masayuki Ochiai, Toru Sawano, Junko Fujiyoshi, Hirosuke Inoue & Shouichi Ohga

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  1. Nina Lenhartová
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Contributions

All authors (NL, MO, TS, KY, JF, HI, and SO) had full access to all the data in the study, took responsibility for the data integrity and accuracy, and approved the final version to be published. MO, TS, and IH designed the study; NL, KY, and JF acquired, analyzed, and interpreted the data; MO, JF, and IH obtained funding; and IH and SO critically revised the relevant intellectual content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masayuki Ochiai.

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Competing interests

This study was supported in part by the KAKEN #15K09717 (MO), #16K19688 (JF), #17K16300 (HI), and #20K08231 (HI).

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Lenhartová, N., Ochiai, M., Sawano, T. et al. Serum erythroferrone levels during the first month of life in premature infants. J Perinatol 42, 97–102 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01184-6

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