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Serum Hepcidin and Ferritin to Iron Ratio in Evaluation of Bacterial Versus Viral Infections in Children: A Single-center Study
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 07/27/2012
Kossiva L et al. – If further studies with larger samples confirm these observations, FIR could be used as an inexpensive, rapid and easily performed complementary index for diagnosis of bacterial infections.
Methods- The authors studied 69 children with infection and an equal number of matched controls during a 3-year period.
- A bacterial agent was demonstrated in 17 and a viral pathogen in 52 of the patients.
- Hematologic and biochemical tests were performed on all children including ferritin, iron and hepcidin.
- FIR was calculated and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the best FIR cutoff value to discriminate between patients and controls and between patients with bacterial infections and viral infections.
- Hepcidin, ferritin and FIR were significantly higher and iron values significantly lower in febrile patients than its controls.
- Patients with bacterial infection had significantly lower iron and higher FIR than those with viral infection.
- FIR had high accuracy discriminating patients from controls but only moderate accuracy discriminating bacterial from viral infected patients.
