Background and aim: Ferritin is a protein whose main function is to store iron. It is documented that in liver diseases, proinflammatory states and metabolic syndrome (MS) its serum levels increase. This study's objective was to describe serum ferritin levels in a population with liver disease; evaluated at a hepatology center in northeast Mexico and its correlation with biochemical markers and comorbidities.
Material and methods: A retrospective study was carried out on patients from the Hepatology Center of the University Hospital “Dr. José Eleuterio González” from 2015 to January 2020, including 165 subjects (80 men and 85 women) aged 17-80 years. The following laboratory test results were analyzed: Serum ferritin, blood chemistry, blood count, lipid profile, liver function tests, coagulation times, serology for Hepatitis B, C and autoimmune and Fibromax. Clinical parameters such as body mass index (BMI), type II diabetes mellitus (DMII), systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), presence of ascites, alcohol consumption (gr / week) and endoscopic findings (esophageal varices) were also analyzed.
Results: Significative difference was observed in serum ferritin levels between men and women [353.0 ng/mL (170.5–747.5 ng/mL) vs 108.3 ng/mL (55.8–253.5 ng/mL), p<0.0001], as well as in serum ferritin levels between women with and without ascites, in men with different fibrosis stage (FibroTest) and necroinflammatory activity (ActiTest) (Figure 1). A poor but significant correlation was observed between serum ferritin and age, erythrocytes, MCV, MCH, uric acid, direct bilirubin, albumin and HDL cholesterol in women and alcohol consumption, uric acid, ALT and AST in men. All other evaluated clinical parameters and biomarkers showed no significant difference.
Conclusions: An association was observed between the degree of fibrosis and serum ferritin and necroinflammatory activity in men, as well as between ferritin and ascites in women. A poor correlation was observed between serum ferritin levels and the analyzed chemical biomarkers.
Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
