Hepcidin the link between inflammation and anemia in chronic renal failure.

A chronic inflammatory state characterized the patients with chronic renal failure. The causes of this situation are multiple and inter-connected. The break of the equilibrium between pro-inflammatory agents and anti-inflammatory ones in haemodialysis patients leads to anemia of chronic inflammation, characterized by a functional iron deficiency. Very recently it was discovered a peptide produced by the liver, named hepcidin, that provides a good link between inflammation and metabolism of iron, rendering more understandable the interdependence of inflammation and anemia.