Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between iron deficiency in obesity in recent years has shown. The reason is the anemia of chronic disease caused by chronic inflammation consisting induced adipose tissue. Our aim is to investigate the relationship between obesity and iron deficiency, to show the location of hepcidin in iron homeostasis in obese children.

METHODS

This study was made with 54 obese (body mass index (BMİ)>95p) and 51 normal weighted (BMİ: 5-95p) children; participant ages were between 5-16. In two groups serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, hemoglobin, transferrin saturation index (TSI), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C- reactive protein (CRP), leptin and hepcidin were studied.

RESULTS

In obese children compared to the control group; decreased serum iron (p=0.004), hemoglobin (Hb) (p=0.010), TSI (p=0.001), increased hepcidin (p=0.001), TDBK (p=0.041), leptin (p=0.001), CRP (p=0.001) levels were found. In 18 cases (%33.3) Hb levels were determined low; while in 8 of these cases (%14.8) the parameters were found compatible with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). 5 cases (%9.2) were accepted as anemia of chronic disease. In the patient group the number of IDA was found statistically significantly high (p=0.032).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

In our study obesity seems to be associated with iron deficiency. The effect of hepcidin was shown to be the cause of iron deficiency. Each work to be done in order to understand the relationship between inflammation, obesity and erythropoiesis; will contribute to prevent the development of nutritional iron deficiency and / or pharmacological therapies in obese patients.