The Effect of Treatment on Weight Gain in Iron Deficiency Anemia and Its Association with Ghrelin and Hepcidin Levels

Abstract

Aim: Although loss of appetite in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and weight gain during treatment are common complaints, there are very few studies in adults. This study aimed to determine the levels of ghrelin, one of the appetite-related hormones, and hepcidin, one of the main regulators of iron metabolism, in IDA, and to examine the effects of treatment on weight gain and the levels of these hormones. Material and Methods: Eighty-seven adult patients with IDA and a control group of 50 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and blood samples were obtained from the patient and control groups before treatment, and repeated after treatment in the IDA group. Results: No significant difference was found in terms of weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio between groups but there was a significant increase in weight and BMI, in the patient group after treatment (both p<0.001). Pre-treatment hepcidin and ghrelin levels of the patient group were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001, and p=0.026, respectively), and hepcidin levels increased significantly after treatment (p<0.001). The increase in ghrelin was not statistically significant but showed a positive weak correlation with both weight (r=0.254, p=0.018) and BMI (r=0.231, p=0.031) increase. Hepcidin levels were not correlated with weight and BMI changes. Conclusion: These findings revealed low levels of ghrelin and hepcidin in adults with IDA and an increase in weight and BMI with treatment. Hepcidin increased with treatment but was not correlated with weight gain, ghrelin was weakly correlated.