Plasma hepcidin levels and anemia in old age. The Leiden 85-Plus Study
Wendy P.J. den Elzen,
Anton J.M. de Craen,
Erwin T. Wiegerinck,
Rudi G.J. Westendorp,
Dorine W. Swinkels,
Jacobijn Gussekloo
Affiliations
Wendy P.J. den Elzen
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Anton J.M. de Craen
Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Erwin T. Wiegerinck
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Genetic, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands;Hepcidinanalysis.com, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, the Netherlands
Rudi G.J. Westendorp
Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands;Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, Leiden, the Netherlands
Dorine W. Swinkels
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Genetic, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands;Hepcidinanalysis.com, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, the Netherlands
Jacobijn Gussekloo
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Hepcidin, an important regulator of iron homeostasis, is suggested to be causally related to anemia of inflammation. The aim of this study was to explore the role of plasma hepcidin in anemia among older persons from the general population. The Leiden 85-Plus Study is a population-based study of 85-year olds in Leiden, the Netherlands. Eighty-five-year old inhabitants of Leiden were enrolled between September 1997 and September 1999. At the age of 86, plasma hepcidin was determined with time of flight mass spectrometry in 490 participants [160 (32.7%) male, 114 (23.3%) with anemia]. Anemia was defined according to criteria of the World Health Organization (hemoglobin level
