— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
Researchers continue to investigate why hepatitis B
patients with high iron (ferritin) levels often have liver damage.
Another insight into this mystery was recently reported in the March
issue of the Archives of Medical Research.
Chinese researchers compared ferritin (a protein that
stores iron) levels in 55 healthy people, 46 people with chronic HBV
and 71 patients with liver failure admitted to a hospital, and followed
them for four months.
Patients with liver failure had
significantly higher ferritin levels at admission compared to the
healthier two groups. "Elevated (ferritin) levels were associated with
increased severity of liver disease and three-month mortality rate,"
they reported.
Researchers encouraged
emergency admission doctors to screen these patients' ferritin levels to
improve diagnosis and treatment.
Source: HBV Journal Review, April 2014Labels: ferritin, iron levels, liver failure
