Hepcidin as a Therapeutic Target in Liver Cirrhosis: A Cohort Study on Iron Dysregulation

Background: Iron metabolism dysregulation in liver cirrhosis leads to iron accumulation which triggers oxidative stress and advances liver tissue damage. This study investigated how Hepcidin modulation affects iron accumulation and liver function alongside cirrhosis complications among liver cirrhosis patients. Methods: Researchers conducted a prospective cohort study (January 2024 to January 2025) by monitoring 120 liver cirrhosis patients at Asian Institute of Medical Sciences Hyderabad and remaining from Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro (ERC/9303/24) in adherence with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study documented both baseline clinical data alongside liver function tests and Hepcidin measurements. Two separate groups were formed through randomization for treatment with Hepcidin-modulating. Disease severity using Child-Pugh and MELD scores was determined. The study used both Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression methods to examine clinical outcomes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Paired t-tests evaluated within-group changes, and one way ANOVA was employed for between-group comparisons (p-value<0.05, Statistical Significance). Results: The intervention group experienced a substantial Hepcidin level rise from 45.7 ng/mL to 87.5 ng/mL. The levels of serum ferritin declined from 890.5 ng/mL to 510.2 ng/mL. The intervention group achieved notable liver function improvement through their Child-Pugh score drop from 8.2 to 6.5 (p=0.003) and their MELD score reduction from 18.2 to 14.9 (p=0.002). Conclusion: The modulation of Hepcidin treatment leads to major reductions in iron burden while also supporting improved liver function and lowering cirrhosis-related complications among liver cirrhosis patients.