Correlations between hepcidin mRNA levels, urinary hepcidin concentrations, and clinical parameters. Urinary hepcidin levels expressed in nanogram per milligram urinary creatinine were correlated with hepcidin mRNA levels expressed in arbitrary units (log 2 scale) in the whole population of the 36 patients (♦; A) and within the subgroup of 20 patients with no or slight fibrosis (○; B). In our total population (n = 36) LIC was correlated with hepcidin mRNA (C) and urinary hepcidin (D) levels. Hepcidin mRNA level was correlated with blood hemoglobin value (E) as well as serum albumin level (F). Inverse correlations were found for hepatic fibrosis status and hepcidin mRNA (G) and urinary hepcidin levels (H). Horizontal bars correspond to the mean values.