Associations Between Iron Homeostasis and Pancreatic Enzymes After an Attack of Pancreatitis : Pancreas

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Associations Between Iron Homeostasis and Pancreatic Enzymes After an Attack of Pancreatitis

Kimita, Wandia MSc; Ko, Juyeon MSc, PhD; Li, Xinye MSc; Bharmal, Sakina H. MBiomedSc, PhD; Petrov, Maxim S. MD, MPH, PhD

Author Information

From the School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Received for publication December 19, 2021; accepted January 30, 2023.

Address correspondence to: Maxim Petrov, MD, MPH, PhD, Rm 2006, 28 Park Ave, Auckland 1142, New Zealand (e-mail: [email protected]).

This study was part of the Clinical and epidemiOlogical inveStigations in Metabolism, nutritiOn, and pancreatic diseaseS (COSMOS) program. The COSMOS is supported, in part, by the Royal Society of New Zealand (Rutherford Discovery Fellowship to M.S.P.), which played no role in the study design; collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; or writing of the manuscript.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This study was approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committee, New Zealand (13/STH/182).

All authors provided consent to publish this research.

Data available on reasonable request due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

M.S.P. did the conceptualization and study design. J.K. and S.H.B. did the patient recruitment. W.K., X.L., J.K., and S.H.B. did the data acquisition. W.K. did the analysis and interpretation of data. W.K. did the statistical analysis. W.K. did the drafting of manuscript. J.K., S.H.B., and M.S.P. did the critical revision of the manuscript. M.S.P. did the study supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Pancreas 51(10):p 1277-1283, 11/12 2022. | DOI: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000002195

Abstract

Objectives 

Dysregulation of iron homeostasis and exocrine pancreatic dysfunction are linked but remain undefined in individuals with a history of pancreatitis. The objective is to investigate the relationship between iron homeostasis and pancreatic enzymes in individuals after a pancreatitis attack.

Methods 

This was a cross-sectional study of adults with a history of pancreatitis. Markers of iron metabolism (hepcidin and ferritin) and pancreatic enzymes (pancreatic amylase, pancreatic lipase, and chymotrypsin) were measured in venous blood. Habitual dietary iron intake data (total, heme, and nonheme iron) were collected. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed while considering covariates.

Results 

One hundred and one participants were studied at a median of 18 months after their last pancreatitis attack. Hepcidin was significantly associated with pancreatic amylase (β coefficient, −6.68; 95% confidence interval, −12.88 to −0.48; P = 0.035) and heme iron intake (β coefficient, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.08 to 0.60; P = 0.012) in the adjusted model. Hepcidin was not significantly associated with pancreatic lipase or chymotrypsin. Ferritin was not significantly associated with pancreatic enzymes and dietary iron intake.

Conclusions 

An iron homeostasis–exocrine pancreas crosstalk exists in individuals after an attack of pancreatitis. The role of iron homeostasis in pancreatitis warrants high-quality purposely-designed studies.

Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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