DOI: 10.12890/2015_000240

Hepcidin and Ferritin Levels in Fever of Unknown Origin: Is There a New Biomarker?

Authors

  • Ana Lopez Aparicio Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain.
  • Alejandro García-Espona-Pancorbo Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain.
  • Marta Clavero-Olmos Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain.
  • Inmaculada Muñoz-Roldán Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain.
  • Alejandro del Castillo-Rueda Unidad de Ferropatología y Radicalosis, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.

a.lopezaparicio@gmail.com

Keywords

Still disease, hyperferritinemia, hepcidin

Abstract

Background and objectives: Significantly elevated serum ferritin levels are associated with both iron overload and some inflammatory conditions. Hepcidin is a protein that interferes with iron absorption in inflammatory states and acts as an acute-phase reactant.

Materials and methods: Here we report the case a 33-year-old patient who presented with high fever, skin lesions and arthralgia lasting for 2 weeks. His ferritin level was 13,800 µg/l and his hepcidin level was 61 ng/dl.

Results: The final diagnosis was adult onset Still's disease. The condition evolved satisfactorily with steroid treatment, but after several weeks the patient presented with an unexpected recurrence.

Conclusions: Hepcidin is a good inflammatory marker that could be useful in the differential diagnosis of hyperferritinaemia.

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References

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Published

2015-09-21

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 6 (2015)

How to Cite

1.
Lopez Aparicio A, García-Espona-Pancorbo A, Clavero-Olmos M, Muñoz-Roldán I, del Castillo-Rueda A. Hepcidin and Ferritin Levels in Fever of Unknown Origin: Is There a New Biomarker? EJCRIM [Internet]. 2015 Sep. 21 [cited 2026 Nov. 3];2(6). Available from: https://ejcrim.com/index.php/ejcrim/article/view/240