Hepcidin that is an inflammation indicator at the patients with cellulite diagnosis

INTRODUCTION: Cellulite is an infectious disease holding deep dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue and can also cause systemic symptoms. Typical clinical forms are regional erythema, warmth, swelling, pain and tenderness. Sepsis can occur if it is untreated. There is no certain diagnostic criteria in cellulite. Diagnosis is made by physical examination almost always. Hepcidin is synthesized in the liver, present in plasma and excreted in the urine. The role of hepcidin in iron metabolism is understood although the role in the inflammation still unresolved. It has been demonstrated in various animal and human experiments that synthesis of hepcidin is significantly increased with infection. Hepcidin may be an early biomarker to help diagnosis of cellülite. Thus, with starting treatment earlier hospitalization can be shortened and economic losses may reduced. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 70 patients which followed as cellulite in Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital Infectious Diseases Clinic and 70 healty individuals are enrolled. 40 of cellulite cases (57.14%) were female and 30 (42.85%) were male. Serum samples were obtained for hepcidin from patients and control groups before antibiotic treatment. The first day of admission and before discharge hemogram, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and biochemical values of patients were measured. The hemoglobin value of 12 g/dL for women and 14 g/dL for men were considered as anemia. Patients with anemia were excluded. P <0,05 values were considered statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Cut-off value of hepcidin is 886,36 pg/ml in our study. The average of hepcidin was 1224,9 ± 1307,96 pg/ml in the patient group, while 488,54 ± 200,84 pg/ml in the control group (p <0,000). DISCUSSION: The role of hepcidin in severe infections is a matter to be investigated. There is no a serious publication in the literatüre about the hepcidin metabolism in the inflammation due to cellulite. Owing to the absence of a specific diagnosis in patients with cellulitis, we think it would be helpful using hepcidin as an acute phase protein in the diagnosis. KEY WORDS: Cellulite, hepcidin, inflammation