Serum Hepcidin Level among Chronic Kidney Disease Subjects Accessing Healthcare in Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital Port Harcourt

Hepcidin is the major controller of systemic iron homeostasis and the role of the kidney in regulating hepcidin level is vital in the whole process of iron and hepcidin relationship. This study was aimed at evaluating serum Hepcidin level among Chronic Kidney Disease subjects accessing Healthcare in BMSH Port Harcourt Metropolis. The study was conducted in Port Harcourt at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital among 55 CKD subjects and 33 normal individuals making up the control group. Subjects were selected randomly and 5mls of blood was collected in plain bottle using venipuncture technique for laboratory assessment of hepcidin. Hepcidin was assayed using competitive ELISA method. T-test was used to compare the mean difference oh hepcidin between both groups. Result showed that there was a significant difference in hepcidin level between CKD and control groups; 52.00±36.00ng/ml for CKD group and 16.00±13.00ng/ml for control group, p<0.05. This study has shown that CKD has a significant impact in hepcidin level blood and consequently on iron regulation.