Table 1.

Hepcidin measurement in clinical practice: a decalogue for the hematologist

	Comments	Reference
Checklist before ordering the assay
1. Ensure local availability of a validated assay	See text and supplemental Table 1	19
2. Ensure control of preanalytical conditions (including diurnal rhythm)	See text	8, 25, 26
3. Refer to age- and sex-specific ranges	Significant differences between males and females, particularly during fertile period	22, 23
4. Interpret hepcidin value into a minimum laboratory context (CBC, ferritin, transferrin saturation, CRP, serum creatinine, and liver function tests)	See Figure 1	—
5. Be aware of any potential confounders/comorbidities in the individual patient	See Figure 1	—
Most promising applications
6. Evaluation of suspected IRIDA	Virtually diagnostic in an appropriate clinical context	54, 55
7. Evaluation of IO disorders	For example, ferroportin disease due to hepcidin resistant mutations (see text)	41, 42, 49, 51, 56, 57
8. Diagnosis of concomitant ID in patients with ACD	Promising reports in rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease patients, and in African children	32, 58-60
9. Guide for iron therapy	For example, selection of patients for direct IV supplementation; oral administration in children from developing countries with high prevalence of infectious diseases (see text)	6, 32, 58, 61-63
10. Monitoring of treatments targeting the hepcidin/ferroportin axis	To be confirmed by further studies	64

ACD, anemia of chronic disease; CBC, complete blood count; CRP, C-reactive protein; ID, iron deficiency; IO, iron overload; IRIDA, iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia.