In COPD patients, non-anemic iron deficiency (NAID) is a common systemic manifestation. We hypothesized that in COPD patients with NAID, iron therapy may improve systemic oxidative stress. The FACE (Ferinject assessment in patients with COPD and iron deficiency to improve exercise tolerance) study was a single-blind, unicentric, parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial (trial registry: 2016-001238-89). Sixty-six patients were enrolled (randomization 2:1): iron arm, n = 44 and placebo arm, n = 22, with similar clinical characteristics. Serum levels of 3-nitrotyrosine, MDA-protein adducts, and reactive carbonyls, catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and iron metabolism biomarkers were quantified in both groups. In the iron-treated patients compared to placebo, MDA-protein adducts and 3-nitrotyrosine serum levels significantly declined, while those of GSH increased and iron metabolism parameters significantly improved. Hepcidin was associated with iron status parameters. This randomized clinical trial evidenced that iron replacement elicited a decline in serum oxidative stress markers along with an improvement in GSH levels in patients with stable severe COPD. Hepcidin may be a surrogate biomarker of iron status and metabolism in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. These findings have potential clinical implications in the management of patients with severe COPD.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.