Plasma hepcidin correlates positively with Interleukin-6 in patients undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy

Abstract

The study demonstrated plasma hepcidin as a positive acute-phase reactant in relation to an uncomplicated large cardiac surgery. Hepcidin increase was related to IL-6 concentrations and to duration of surgical procedure.

The clinical findings are in conformity with recent experimental studies defining hepcidin as a type II acute-phase protein.

Keywords

• c-creative protein
• cardiac surgery
• cytokines